


The Monsters They Hunt

by Shadow_Chaser



Series: Jaegers & Kaiju Universe [2]
Category: Code Geass, Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Code Geass Fusion, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Chuck's A+ Parenting (said no one), Drama & Romance, Drift Bond, Drift Sex, Drift Side Effects, Family Drama, Friendship/Love, Genbu's A+ Parenting (said no one), Ghost Drifting, Idiots in Love, Intrigue, Jaeger Pilots, Jaegers (Pacific Rim), Kaiju (Pacific Rim), Long!fic is long, M/M, Politics, The Drift (Pacific Rim), War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 228,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25298146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Chaser/pseuds/Shadow_Chaser
Summary: The Golden Age of the Jaeger Program and its downfall through the eyes of Gipsy Danger's pilots, Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi.
Relationships: Bruce Gage & Trevin Gage, Euphemia li Britannia & Kururugi Suzaku, Euphemia li Britannia & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Kururugi Suzaku/Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia
Series: Jaegers & Kaiju Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830331
Comments: 80
Kudos: 33





	1. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the CG/PR universe's take on the Golden Age of the Jaeger Program. Please make sure you've read at least the Jaeger Academy arc chapters in the main story "Those Who Fight Monsters" before proceeding. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of things before proceeding:
> 
> This story will not be updated as frequently as "Those Who Fight Monsters" - that one was a little monster that wanted to be written and posted. If you'll notice, this story also has longer chapters. This story will dig deep into the romance between Lelouch and Suzaku and is the primary driving factor. There will be action, but it's secondary to the partnership, friendship and love between the two of them (and how horribly it goes down with Knifehead and beyond).
> 
> Second point - though the tag up there says "Drift Sex" - don't expect any explicit scenes. There is a reason why this fic is rated "T". I don't write sex scenes, simple as that. I'll write before and after, but that's about it.

“ _Suzaku...don't stop!”_

“ _I'm-”_

“ _It's okay...I want-”_

Lelouch Lamperouge awoke with a start staring up at the ceiling of his- their, dorm room. The fading pants and echoes of his lover's breathless voice left him with a bit of an electric thrill shooting down his spine. He felt something heavy and warm near him, followed by the barest tickle of breath on his right ear. He turned his head slightly and an unbidden smile appeared on his lips. Suzaku Kururugi was all but curled into him, deeply asleep; their arms, legs and bodies still somewhat entangled in the aftermath of the night's activities.

He briefly considered kissing Suzaku's face, lips, maybe even his neck, but as he tried to move, the thought was immediately put out of his head. Lelouch hurt _everywhere_. In places he did not think he would ever hurt by the amount of exercising he did each day, but ached nonetheless.

He must have made a noise of sorts – surprise or pain he couldn't tell – as he felt Suzaku's breath change before bright emerald green eyes blinked open next to him. A contented smile was on Suzaku's face for half a second before it morphed instantly into concern. “Lelouch, are you- You're hurt aren't you? I'm so sorry-”

“Nope,” Lelouch managed to extricate some of his entangled body parts from underneath the sheet that had been placed over them – he didn't remember when since he had pretty much exhausted himself and fell fast asleep – and gingerly flexed some of his sore muscles. “It's just...didn't expect to use certain parts-”

Suzaku blushed and looked shy. “It was your first time...” He murmured. “I'm sorry... I should have prepped you better-”

The night's events came rushing back in a pleasant way and Lelouch snorted softly. “It was wonderful, Suzaku. I just need to get used to it.”

“...Used to it?” His lover and partner whispered. Lelouch leaned over to kiss him gently on the lips. He still tasted like last night. “You mean-”

“Suzaku, just because I am the way I am, doesn't mean I don't understand. I love it. I'm glad we did it. In fact, I think you protested too much before we did it because of some far-fetched notion to make sure that I wasn't offended or anything. I'm not offended. The sex was good, really good Suzaku. And I'll gladly do it again,” he kissed him again, this one long and lingering.

He felt a hand roaming down his body and intercepted it with one of his own as he released Suzaku from the kiss. “But...I think you forget what today is. Day after graduation. We need to report to get our posting and pack up.” He released Suzaku's roaming hand and felt it retract, though he impishly drew a light line up his chest that left Lelouch nearly shuddering. He had _loved_ light touches like that.

“I'm glad,” Suzaku replied before lifting his head slightly to steal another kiss. With that, he pulled himself from Lelouch's half embrace and sat up. The sheet that had covered them pooled down past his waist, nearly exposing the more intimate parts and it took some effort for Lelouch to not get aroused by the sight of the same planes of muscle he had thoroughly explored during the night as well as the tantalizing hint of what was barely hidden under the sheets. With the rays of sunlight shining into the room from whatever their blackout curtain couldn't cover, he could still see _some_ of the marks he had left on Suzaku.

Suzaku for the most part was unabashedly grinning at him. “Like what you see?”

Lelouch rolled his eyes and threw his pillow at his friend who caught it easily. “I'm taking a cold shower,” he declared. He knew it was the best way to cool his urges. As much as he _wanted_ to stay in bed and perhaps go another round or two – his aching body be damned – he also knew that today was very important, if not more than actually graduating.

“Too bad it's not big enough so I can join you,” Suzaku called to him as he got out of the bed.

He grabbed a change of fresh clothing before he picked at the uniforms they had discarded on the floor on their way to the bed. He shook them out and hung them on the seats. At least they had not gotten too wrinkled or ripped, though he did notice one of the lapels was a little folded. He ignored Suzaku's taunt and closed the door to the bathroom with a decisive click.

He quickly showered, cleaning both himself and the left over mess of the night before while reveling in the fact that while his body definitely ached, it had felt so good. Getting out, he dried and dressed himself before opening the door again and stepping out.

Suzaku had gone from being in the buff to wearing an old pair of boxers and was stripping the joined beds. Lelouch winced as he saw the mess their lovemaking had left behind. He heard stories, but hadn't quite realized what it really meant until now. Suzaku dumped the soiled sheets into the bin that would be sent to the cleaners. Lelouch felt a little sorry for whomever was going to be sorting that. The rest of the discarded clothing had been also put into the bin to be washed and sorted later. He helped his friend with the new clean sheets, folding them to PPDC standards. Suzaku then took his own shower and cleaned up before the two of them dressed themselves in the standard grey uniforms. Before Lelouch pulled the door open, he surprised his friend with a rather long and passionate kiss, a grin on his face at the flushed and ragged look he left Suzaku with before he headed out.

His grin became wider as Suzaku called after him, catching up with two long strides while adjusting his collar. He had been priding himself on that particular ability to leave his partner in pieces with just one simple act.

Lelouch glanced at his watch. It was nearly eight in the morning, way past the normal hours of morning calisthenics, though he supposed he had already engaged in them last night, but early enough that breakfast was still being served in the mess hall.

It was the first day since they received their graduation certificates and formal recognition as Rangers that they had no set schedule except to report to the main Academy office for posting orders at 0900.

Rangers. Jaeger pilots. They had spent a grueling six months training, learning, and ultimately coming out Drift compatible with one another to become one of the rare few who was able to pilot a Jaeger in the war against the kaiju. Yesterday, they were teenagers who came to learn how to fight and how to kill. Today, they were adults, men who knew how to do both.

They joined the line to the mess hall, noting that a lot of the members of their class – totaling nearly seventy who had survived the Term 1 cuts – were apparently very late in starting the morning. Lelouch wasn't exactly sure if that comforted him or made him amused. He supposed more amused than anything else considering that it seemed those that ran the Academy expected the celebrants of the Class of 2016-A to be rather late in starting their mornings the day after graduation.

“Looks like we're not the only ones who celebrated,” Suzaku whispered in his ear as they watched some of their classmates be a lot more affectionate and open with others. Many of them were opposite sex, and it was clear that certain activities happened last night with some of them. But there were a handful of those who were of the same-sex being equally affectionate.

“But definitely drunk too,” Lelouch chuckled quietly as they got their food. Tamaki, one of the members of the class who was from Japan looked utterly plastered as he laid sprawled on a table. His cheeks were pink and he had a bag of ice over part of his head with Ohgi next to him patting him gently on the back. The two older Japanese men looked more like they had caroused the night away than anything else – though Ohgi seemed to handle his liquor better.

“Suzaku! Lelouch!” The familiar high-pitched voice of Lelouch's half-sister, Princess Euphemia li Britannia called across to them from the mess hall as they paid for their food and headed over.

She was sitting with the contingent that Lelouch had dubbed the Ashford Academy group, which used to comprise of a few members, but two of the five had not graduated with them. Milly Ashford, Rivalz Cardemonde and Shirely Fennette were the only ones left, but the other two that had been a part of their group would always be close to them. Nina Einstein had not passed Term 1, but instead, accepted a position on Dr. Caitlin Lightcap's team to work on Pons and Drift Technology. Kallen Stadtfeld did the same, but had only left for accelerated course training in Dallas a few weeks ago.

Kallen had been part of a promising pilot pair, but her partner died under accidental circumstances towards the end of their second week of Term 3 training. It took her several weeks to recover before she decided to choose another career in the fight against the kaiju. She and her partner, her older brother Naoto, had been honored last night in the class's graduation party even though neither one was there.

“Euphie, good morning,” Suzaku greeted for the two of them as he sat down next to her. Lelouch took the seat opposite of her, in between Rivalz and Shirley. Milly sat on Euphie's other side. The group looked to be in various stages of finishing their breakfasts.

“Good morning Rangers!” Milly crowed, earning some claps and toasts from those around the other tables. Lelouch glared at her, drinking his coffee before proceeding with his breakfast. She sat back down with the widest smile on her face. Lelouch knew she was a showboat, but even this late in the morning, it was still ridiculous.

“So, where did you guys go last night? I was trying to find you for some juicy gossip!” Rivalz asked.

Lelouch shrugged. “I pulled a muscle. Went to go get it checked out and rest for the night.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suzaku attempting to suppress a rueful smile at his oblique reference. The two of them had long decided by mutual agreement to not show outward affection aside from those deemed more friendly gestures. They did not mind that their friendship was shown, but they were also aware of the historic nature of their partnership. They knew any sign of romantic feelings would be instantly and utterly dissected by those around them, even if they were friends like the Ashford students. It was too easy for rumors and gossip to spread around the Corps and possibly out into the public.

To them, it wasn't a suppression of their romance, but rather something they wanted to keep intensely private. It was theirs to share, not for anyone else to stick their noses in where it did not belong. Their partnership was everything, their friendship everything. Their romance – their own. Simple as that.

“Oh, did you see then?”

“See what?” Lelouch speared a piece of hashbrown with some ham and ate it. Suzaku was eating a traditional Japanese morning breakfast.

“So, I heard that the Margrave and Lieutenant went at it like rabbits in the infirmary-”

“Nope, must have been after,” Lelouch shook his head before he glanced at his blue-haired friend. “And Rivalz, is that really necessary?”

“What? They've been really lovey-dovey for the last couple of weeks-”

“Yes, but do you really want to go there?” He pinned his friend with a look and Rivalz frowned.

“Er...”

“What they do is their business. Just think about how rumors like that start. I mean, you all learned the Ranger Protocols, right?”

“Yeah...”

Lelouch held out a hand rotating his wrist a little in a flourish. “And...?”

“I guess that's true. We shouldn't judge right? Our trainers did say that Drifting is pretty intense so...they may need our help...” Shirley's voice was soft before she nodded once. “Yup, I've made up my mind,” her voice was louder, more decisive, “no talking about Rangers or their weird habits.”

“Yeah, you're right. Sorry, Lelouch...didn't mean...” Rivalz trailed off with a gesture of his chin towards him and Suzaku.

“No harm, no foul,” Lelouch shrugged. He continued to eat. “Just remember that those protocols are put into place for reasons. I mean, we were told combat Drifting is whole 'nother level, so we'll see.”

“I guess...do you not want to hear gossip then?” his friend looked a little dejected and Lelouch arched an eyebrow at him.

“Okay, what do you have and _no_ betting board,” he threatened.

Rivalz laughed as did the rest of the table.

“I could have won a few hundred,” Euphie muttered. The table laughed again and Lelouch only rolled his eyes at his half-sister. She was such a brat at times, but he also couldn't deny that it was the truth. Euphie was sweetly devious when it came to her observational skills. She was as good as he was in spotting threads and things, but unlike him, he knew she had no ego. A rare thing in the royal Britannian family.

“Euphie...” Suzaku looked pained.

“Not at your expense, Suzaku,” Euphie apologized with a half-smile.

“Well, I mean Milly would have won the first bet if we did have one,” Rivalz said. “I mean, you did dance with one of the twins last night.”

“Wait...what?!” Lelouch immediately looked at his sister, the humor all gone. In place was a quick growing anger-

“Oh...yeah, I see what these two Drifting together did. They both have the big brother complex going-”

Euphie held up her hands, lowering the forkful of pancakes she was about to eat. Her plate was three-quarters gone. “Lelouch,” she turned to Suzaku, “Suzaku, before you two get any ideas, it was just a dance. I was the one to ask Trevin, not the other way around. In fact, I think he was very surprised, but obliged partly because I used my title against his own.”

“His brother kept shaking his head and was saying that both of them going to get murdered by you in the morning, Lelouch,” Milly's smile was utterly cat-like. “It was so adorable, watching the two of you dance while – I guess that was Bruce I was standing next to, I thought it was Trevin – the other twin was looking like he was preparing their last rites.”

“I'm more curious as to how you figured out who was who,” Shirley tapped her lip. She had finished her bowl of cereal and of the small group was almost done with all of her breakfast.

“So it was just a Princess and Knight dance?” Rivalz looked disappointed.

“Just a Princess and Knight dance,” Euphie confirmed before pinning Lelouch with a look. “Lelouch.”

He pursed his lips, still unhappy that Euphie had _danced_ with one of the men who had been _his_ instructor for the last two months, but at the same time, could not fault his sister for her actions. He believed her, but it still rubbed him the wrong way. “Any reason why?”

“Partially to thank them for their service and duty to the royal family,” Euphie replied.

“I'm an ex-royal-”

“I know, but it's always good to let the Knights know that we do appreciate their services no matter in what context,” she said in a simple tone. However, a brief smile appeared on Euphie's face as she continued. “And also because my own instructor and mentor, Amanda O'Neill who is their J-Tech Chief, said that Trevin apparently had a crush on me for a while now. Bruce had been teasing him mercilessly since they found out that they were going to be teaching our class.”

That did nothing to quell any form of the overprotective feeling he had for Euphie as her older brother-

“Euphie, you're scary when you put your mind to it,” Suzaku however, seemed to have managed that feeling quite well as he continued to eat.

Lelouch flicked a look at his partner who shrugged in return. He recognized the gesture as one that Suzaku didn't mind what had happened. But Lelouch knew the reasons behind it – Suzaku definitely harbored more than whatever brotherly feeling had been passed through the Drift towards Euphie. Considering the two of them were close to being Drift partners instead of himself and Suzaku in the early days, it was easy to see that Suzaku loved Euphie – but restrained that love into a courtly form, a Knight and Lady.

Lelouch wondered if he should suggest a triad between himself, Suzaku and Euphie so that it would at least get rid of some of the tension. But the thought died just as quickly as he remembered the previous night. Yeah, he wasn't into sharing nor judging by what he knew about his partner, Suzaku would never cross that particular line with Euphie even if he had been given permission – he respected Euphie too much to do that.

There was also the somewhat minor matter of the scandal it could create if it got out, or for the fact that Euphie was a royal princess and thus had to keep her options open for potential marriage contracts and supposed 'virginal purity.' Lelouch honestly did not know if his sister had any sexual encounters, knowing that he could only speculate on her preferences even though he knew she loved forming intense emotional relationships. However, he was also aware enough that Euphie had formed perhaps more than an emotional relationship with Suzaku – perhaps her first and only love that went beyond her usual fare.

“I am?” Euphie adopted an innocent look that was immediately side-eyed by Suzaku. She dissolved into giggles and Suzaku rolled his own eyes, going back to his own breakfast. Euphie lifted her fork of pancakes, but before she ate it, she pointed it at Lelouch. “I love you my brother, but you're not allowed to kill the twins. Royal order.”

“Spoilsport,” he chomped angrily down at his own food.

“Oh, hey Villetta, what brings you here?” Shirley suddenly said and Lelouch looked up to see the silver-haired, dark-skinned woman skid to a stop by their table. Like everyone else, she was also dressed in the grey uniform of the PPDC.

“The meeting's been delayed, Lamperouge, Kururugi. I was just told to tell you. Not sure when, but the Gages say probably later this afternoon.”

Lelouch frowned. “Why?”

“Not sure, but I caught a glimpse of the two of them talking with Prince Schneizel and what looked like some of the Board of Governors. My educated guess...”

“...Well...shit,” Lelouch did not need to realize what might have prompted a talk with Schneizel of all people. “I guess with the official roster release, the cat is out of the bag and everyone's put two and two together.”

“Yep,” Villetta had a frank look on her face.

“What about us? Weren't we also supposed to get our postings today too?” Euphie looked worried.

“I think those are still happening, but for the us Rangers, we're on standby for now,” Villetta looked a little uncomfortable for a second as she pressed her lips together. She finally sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. “For what it's worth, I think it's silly for them to delay this. Politicians, the lot of them.”

Lelouch chuckled quietly and nodded. “Thanks for the update.”

“Lamperouge, Kururugi,” Villetta nodded once at them before leaving.

Lelouch spied the Margrave waiting for his partner by the entrance to the mess hall before the two disappeared around the corner. He turned back and caught Suzaku's gaze and the two of them shrugged at the same time. There was really nothing they could do about it until they had their meeting. They both knew and had prepared for the eventuality – including having a vicious verbal fight about it – and the only thing left was to move forward to what future awaited them.

* * *

They were not summoned until mid-afternoon by a first term candidate who had been picked by the Jessops as a runner. He and Suzaku had spent the rest of the morning absently reviewing the technical components common to most Jaegers before stretching and doing some light katas in the Kwoon to pass the time – much to the delight of some of the 2016-B Term 1 students who had also been there to practice. Suzaku ended up helping a few of them out with their forms while Lelouch watched from the side, exhausted from last night's activities and from the light spar. He now understood why Rangers and their crews were strictly forbidden from engaging in any type of sexual activity during Red Alerts. If he had been asked to actually pilot his Jaeger, he'd run out of stamina even before they engaged in a fight. He supposed Suzaku would have no issue – the man ran circles around their whole class without breaking a sweat during morning calisthenics and had a legendary Term 1 final physical test – but Lelouch supposed lesser-gifted men like himself weren't so lucky.

There was an innuendo in there, but Lelouch declined to think more about it as he watched some of the students, especially the female ones, crowd around Suzaku. He purposefully kept ignoring Suzaku's frequent glances at him to come and help, knowing that his friend was very shy about all of the attention he was getting from the doe-eyed female population. There were a few males in the crowd, but for the most part, he watched with some amusement.

It wasn't until a runner came by with the news that Suzaku successfully extricated himself from his crowd of adoring fans – and students' apparently blatant attempts for him to 'correct' their forms – that Lelouch clapped him on the back with a wide smile on his face.

“Thanks, you jerk, for not helping,” Suzaku placed a hand on the wall, heaving a breath himself as they finished changing back into their uniforms in the nearby locker room.

“I'm not denying your rabid fanbase that you've apparently accumulated in the last few weeks,” Lelouch replied mildly.

“Where did they come from?! I didn't even see them in the last four weeks since 2016-B started,” Suzaku groused as they walked down the halls to the main office.

“We were pretty busy in the combat simulators, but Milly's told me that some of the former Class A members apparently told the new ones to look out for us. Turns out, this class is full of sneaky ones who tend to hide.”

“Eeesh,” his best friend sighed. “Is it bad that I'm glad I'll be posted elsewhere soon?”

“No time to be camera shy if Villetta's morning statement is an indication,” he countered.

“But there's a degree of separation there. Also, you do know at least half of them are asking after you, right? They were asking _me_ to ask you. It's only fair that you join me in my misery.”

“No,” Lelouch shot him a sideways look.

“For someone who loves all of the attention, you really are oblivious, aren't you?” Suzaku glanced at him in wonderment.

“Oblivious to what?”

Suzaku merely sighed and didn't answer, shaking his head. They continued their walk in a pleasant mood and arrived at the main office shortly. Knocking on the door, they entered and saw that the nearby conference room was already being prepped. There were a few screens with people already in them on for the video conference, but they walked in, nodding silent greetings to Jeremiah and Villetta.

Lelouch had a moment of consternation as he saw the two Gage twins hovering over the controls, their heads together as they talked in low voices. He quickly banished the thought out of his head even as he felt Suzaku twitch next to him. He supposed it helped that the Gages looked up at their entry, nodding to them without even a crack or a joke before looking back down to keep talking. It spoke to the seriousness of the situation and the late briefing they were having.

Three additional screens supplemented the normal ones that were activating when the various pilot pairs checked into the video conference. He could feel the ghost of Suzaku's relief at seeing Nagisa, with dark circles still under her eyes, appear next to Tohdoh, the two of them sitting in what looked a stone garden of sorts. Ever since Tohdoh had given them the devastating news regarding their retirement from the field, they had hoped that Nagisa was getting better from the radiation therapy she had undergone. It was good to see her on this call.

“Gino, where you at?”

“Beach,” the caw of a seagull echoed not even a second later as the Knight of Three toasted the video conference with a bright purple looking drink and sipped it. “Australia's nice here!”

“It's winter there. Are you even allowed to drink? You're only eighteen!” Guilford asked as he stood next to Cornelia. The two were in a room that was inlaid with gold, white and purple, but Lelouch recognized the decorations as to be part of the Pendragon palace. They might have had an audience with the Emperor if they were at the palace.

“Yep!” Gino grinned. “Eighteen's the legal age!”

There were some groans across the video conference.

“Can't wait for Sydney to activate their Shatterdome. Did you know you can eat their national symbol, the kangaroo?”

“It's not bad,” a deep voice behind them made the four newly graduated pilot candidates turn to see a rather rugged looking man walk in. He had a very strong jaw, easy-going smile and the first thing that popped into Lelouch's head was that this man was easily the poster boy for Ranger recruitment, more than the Gages who also had strong, good-looking features. The next thing he noticed was that the man walked with an almost unnoticeable limp and the quiet thunk with each step of his right leg. He realized that it was a prosthetic cybernetic leg.

“Duc!” Gino sounded happy over the video comms. “How come you didn't tell me that I can eat kangaroo?”

“Had to find out some time kid,” Duc Jessop smiled, “besides, your reaction is priceless. I gotta have my kicks needling you stiff Britannians some time.”

“But the national symbol-”

“Is a pest,” a voice, pitched rather straightforwardly, spoke up behind Duc before he stepped to the side to allow his wife Kaori to step by.

Kaori Jessop was...tiny. At least according to the towering heights of everyone in the room. She cleared no higher than Lelouch's shoulder. Her long black hair was tied in a stiff bun, her brown eyes clear and hard. The rank of Major was patched onto the sides of her uniform – the same rank as Duc's – and she bowed slightly to everyone.

Suzaku bowed back in return, Lelouch half-following his partner's gesture in an automatic response. The rest of the room, except for Nagisa who had returned the bow, nodded greetings. Lelouch was a little confused as to why Tohdoh didn't bow before he realized it was because Tohdoh outranked Kaori. As for the others, he supposed they didn't quite understand the gesture or didn't care for the Japanese formalities of rank and respect.

“How are the classes?” One of the Gage twins – Bruce – asked as the two Jessops moved to stand next to them.

“Caitlin's on her way to oversee the katas today while we're in this. She sends her best Sergio,” Duc waved to Dr. Lightcap's husband and Drift partner who was, once again, one of the few lone people video conferencing in. D'Onofrio waved back.

“Gino, where's your other half?” Bruce asked as he glanced at his brother for a few seconds. The silent communication between them was finished when he turned back and tapped his PDA.

“On assignment or something. Not my problem,” Gino replied taking another sip of his drink.

“Yo, better hide that, Knight of Three. Gonna bring on the others,” Trevin warned as he emerged from the back of the podium. He moved to stand next to his brother who tapped some more on his PDA.

“Yeah, yeah,” Gino set his drink off camera before straightening himself as best as he could and hastily put his jacket on, zipping it up. Just in time it seemed as the three mysterious screens activated and Lelouch managed to tamp down his surprise.

Prince Schneizel el Britannia appeared in one of the screens with his ever faithful assistant Kanon Maldini at the edges of the frame. The other was occupied by a Japanese man with a wrinkled countenance that he didn't recognize, but judging by how Suzaku had stiffened slightly, his partner recognized him. The third one was a conference room similar to this one, but with a handful of people and half of the symbol of the UFN behind them. He realized it was the Board of Governors.

“Ladies and gentlemen, for those who do not know our esteemed guests, may I present, Second Prince Schneizel el Britannia who is the Chariman of the Board of Governors and the PPDC in which it had been formed under. The man next to him is Deputy Prime Minister of Japan and Ambassador Representative Taizo Kirihara. Lastly, is our members of the esteemed Board of Governors consisting of the representatives of the UFN Security Council,” Bruce Gage introduced before clearing his throat. “Normally this would be done with some pomp and circumstance and be a celebration among our own Ranger Corps, but certain circumstances have changed and we feel it is very important that everyone be able to understand the gravity of the situation we have been presented for today. Prince Schneizel, the floor is yours.”

“Thank you Knight of Two,” Schneizel smoothly took over, folding his hands across the desk he had rested them on. “I must first congratulate our newest graduates of the program. We are very glad to see such promise in this first majority-civilian class. I can speak for the others on the Board that we will double our recruitment efforts in bringing in more civilians who wish to fight in this war.”

“Now then,” Schneizel pulled at a piece of paper from the corner of his screen and unfolded it. “I think this is the part where normally you'd get your Jaeger assignments, am I correct?”

“Your Highness,” Bruce nodded once. Lelouch found it utterly bizarre to hear those words from one of the Gages. He was so used to the twins' easy going nature and lack of formality towards royalty, Euphie included, that now to hear Bruce address Schneizel so formally baffled him.

“Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald and Lieutenant Villetta Nu,” Schneizel addressed as he slipped on his glasses and read the paper. “First of the new line of Mark III Jaegers Pendragon is building called the Siegfried Kai. You will be assigned to Pendragon Shatterdome with future deployment to Lima Shatterdome once construction plans have been approved and started later this year.”

There was some polite clapping from the video that showed the Board of Governors. The other pilot pairs were nodding and smiling in return. It seemed that the pilot pairs were restraining themselves from making a giant celebration due to the presence of the higher authorities that governed the PPDC.

“The Emperor sends his congratulations. I imagine a possible knighting ceremony to elevate her rank to Knight of Honor in store for Lieutenant Nu in the near future to celebrate the occasion,” Schneizel said.

“The Emperor honors us with his generosity,” Villetta bowed her head and saluted Schneizel in the Britannian style. Jeremiah followed suit before the two returned to a strict parade rest formation.

Schneizel merely nodded before turning back to his paper. “Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi-”

Lelouch didn't know why he was suddenly feeling dread of all things, mixing in with the flutter of anticipation.

“-our first civilian pairing to graduate successfully. We would have have had a second civilian pair except for Kallen Stadtfeld-”

“She prefers to go by Kallen Kouzuki.” The response automatically fell from Lelouch's mouth before he clamped it shut at Suzaku's start of surprise.

Schneizel paused for a second, blinking and looking up in surprise before clearing his throat. “Ah yes...Kallen Kouzuki dropping out of the program after the unfortunate accidental passing of her brother, Warrant Officer Naoto Kouzuki.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch saw one of the Gage twins – Trevin he thought – valiantly trying to suppress his glee at Lelouch's interruption of Kallen's preferred name only to be given a death glare by his brother. The two managed to sort themselves out quickly and returned to parade rest posture before anyone else could notice.

“The two of you will be assigned Gipsy Danger, the second of the Mark IIIs Pendragon is building. However,” Schneizel set the paper and his glasses down and looked up at them. “Due to the...delicate, shall we say, nature of this unusual pilot pair the Academy has produced, we're not exactly sure where the two of you should be assigned.”

“Should our nationalities or ethnicity be that much of a concern, Schneizel?” Lelouch arched an eyebrow, earning both small gasps from the Board and some of the other pilot pairs at his rather casual address. Cornelia was shaking her head, her expression a mask of disappointment, but she didn't seem surprised.

Schneizel grimaced. “As much as I would love to say no, dear little brother of mine, it must be considered at this time. I am proud of you, as is the rest of the family, for doing what you have sought to do, but there in lies the problem. You see...the media-”

“Yeah, moniker and all,” Lelouch obliquely referenced what had been rumors circulating about him since the release of a grainy footage of his audience with the Emperor nearly four years ago now.

Schneizel nodded. “It would be easy to just bring you and Nunnally back into the fold of the royal family-”

“Nunnally is dead,” Lelouch steeled himself as the lie fell from his lips. He didn't dare look at Suzaku, keeping his gaze focused solely on Schneizel. He could hear the soft, shocked 'no' from Cornelia, could hear the noise of sorrow from the Gages, even Gino looked shocked out of the corner of his eye, but from Suzaku he sincerely hoped that all of the times they had Drifted together, he would be able to support his lie. “Kaiju blue in the end.”

It was the only and final way he could protect Nunnally now that the world knew his name. In a twisted way, Lelouch was glad that Schneizel and the Board were at this meeting. They were the most public figures and while he was mostly sure what he just said would be kept within the PPDC 'family' so to speak, there was no doubt that such a rumor would make its way through the Pendragon Court gossip. All the more better. Cornelia's quite outburst also told Lelouch that Euphie had not said a single word about Nunnally's actual status to her beloved older sister. It cemented in him that he could fully trust Euphie – and would be the first one to tell her what had transpired after this meeting was done.

“I'm sorry to hear that, Lelouch,” Schneizel's expression was sincere and his eyes were turned down in sorrow. “Then please, put what I was supposed to propose out of your mind. I did not mean to be dismissive of the vow you made all those years ago. I am sorry.”

“You're forgiven,” he replied magnanimously. Schneizel was perhaps the only one, aside from Suzaku, to understand him at times. He had no intention of returning to the royal fold. Whatever Schneizel and the others had to make of the moniker the media had given him – that was their problem to deal with.

“This still leaves us with the problem of your posting,” Schneizel folded his hands back up. “I have invited Minister Kirihara to address any potential issues and solutions as a gesture of good faith and in honor of our two formerly warring countries that have produced two Rangers of this caliber.”

Kirihara cleared his throat and tapped the cane he had been holding once. “If the former Prince had taken up his last name again, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Japan would have acceded the authority and subordinated under Britannia here. However, as such circumstances stand, since Ranger Lamperouge is a mere civilian, we'd like to point out that while we have no royalty of our own, Ranger Kururugi here is of ancient house blood and thus should be considered as the first of the two to be introduced-”

“Minister, pilot pairs are _always_ introduced with the one who is of the dominant side of a Jaeger's two brains,” Tohdoh cut in roughly.

“Ah yes,” there was something that Lelouch didn't quite like in Kirihara's voice. It sounded too much like some of the courtiers and politicians he remembered in the palace. He supposed because Kirihara was the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan, it meant he was also a man well-versed in politics. “Then that was some misinformation on my part then. Forgive me.”

No one answered that particular ask and Lelouch thought he heard a quiet snort of displeasure from where Kaori Jessop stood. Tohdoh and Nagisa looked like they were carved from stone. He dared not look at Suzaku, but could feel the small hint of anger swirling in their bond.

“My proposal did have some thought behind it though,” Kirihara continued. “We would have considered housing Gipsy Danger in our Shatterdome if Ranger Kururugi was named first and made clear that Ranger Lamperouge is the subordinate. The public might take it into consideration and make housing a Britannian-built Jaeger more...palatable, shall we say?”

“Absolutely not!” Cornelia's reply was immediate as she stood up, the camera feed on her shaking a bit. “I will not see my brother subordinated just because you Japanese cannot accept that he is of royal blood that trumps any claim you have-”

“And what do you propose General li Britannia? That our very own Ranger be subordinated to a _Britannian_ civilian?! When he is of noble and ancient blood?! He is one of the Five Houses! He is of a lineage that dates far past the Britannian royal family-”

Lelouch valiantly resisted the urge to rub his eyebrow as the verbal fight broke out and devolved between Cornelia and Minister Kirihara. A few others joined in, including the Board of Governors, but none could make their voices heard.

“Did you expect anything less?” Suzaku murmured next to him and he turned to look at his partner to see him with a flinty expression on his face. “I knew Kirihara would advance my father's reasons in such a way, if only to provoke the others in a way for them to understand that Japan stands equal in this war.”

“Here we are, shining beacons and representatives to the fact that we can actually work together, and there they are, breaking it all apart in such a short amount of time,” Lelouch rolled his eyes. He noticed the other pilot pairs who had not gotten involved in the verbal spat were looking quite uncomfortable at what was happening. To his amusement, the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg was ducking in and out of the frame, no doubt to continue drinking whatever alcoholic mixed drink he had.

He tried to listen in – now Kirihara was making a case against subordinating Suzaku to Lelouch if they were housed at Pendragon and Cornelia was yelling about how they were piloting a Britannian-built Jaeger, they would be beholden to Britannian conventions no matter where they were. The only one who did not look uncomfortable, nor was he part of the group yelling at each other was Schneizel.

Lelouch studied his older half-brother in the video feed and saw that he was wearing a neutral expression. A brief thought flitted across his mind – it would be _like_ Schneizel to bring in Kirihara, a clear war hawk, to force the issue and get it out into the open. The corner of Lelouch's lips quirked up in a smile – Schneizel was very clever.

“Stop looking like you ate a canary, Lelouch,” Suzaku muttered next to him.

“Look at Schneizel,” he replied out of the corner of his mouth. He saw Suzaku turn and study the Second Prince before one of his eyebrows twitched as he saw what he had seen.

“He already knows where he wants us, doesn't he?”

“Schneizel loves putting forth his chess pieces in an obvious move while he's already got the end game set up that he knows he's going to win,” Lelouch replied, “it's why he's the only person I haven't been able to beat in chess.”

“Then offering a reinstatement of your status-”

“That was genuine,” Lelouch replied, “it would have settled everything, well, mostly everything. We'd probably have an argument, but it wouldn't be like this.”

“Can you explain to me later?” Suzaku asked and Lelouch nodded. They had never really talked about the video circulating of his audience with the Emperor except only that Suzaku had watched it, but talked to Euphie about her thoughts on it.

“Excuse me,” Schneizel apparently had decided the verbal spat had gone on long enough and immediately pressed a button that muted all lines except for his own.

“...Finally,” Kaori Jessop muttered into the conference room that they were all in. Her husband made slight hissing noises, but she seemingly ignored him.

“I'm pretty sure while my dear younger sister Cornelia might have been gearing up into her Knightmare to launch a personal assault as the Witch of Britannia on Minister Kirihara here at his residence in Tokyo-” Schneizel unmuted the lines to some nervous laughter from the Board, “-and while I am sure Minister Kirihara might have made more compelling arguments for his Ranger, but I would like to propose a solution that would benefit us all and provide us with the message of a unified front.”

Schneizel tented his fingers together. “I propose instead of assigning Rangers Lamperouge and Kururugi to a Shatterdome at the moment, they instead, embark on a media tour. Both in the Empire and in Japan. Granted, from what I know, normally the time between graduation and actual deployment in a Jaeger is time for the pilots to continue training, getting to know their crew and study their Jaegers. Since Gipsy Danger is the second of the two Mark IIIs we have at the moment, I believe this will give them some time to show the world that our two nations can be at peace and work together to defeat our common enemy.

“In the interim, we can move Gipsy Danger's construction to Anchorage Shatterdome, thereby giving the crews there a chance to get some experience in building Jaegers while afforded the protection of whatever current one resides there for teaching of the Academy classes on Kodiak Island.”

Lelouch thought the proposal was quite sound, even though he absolutely detested that Schneizel said they would be forced to do a media tour. It also made the most sense. Anchorage was far away from the politics that governed Pendragon and the Homeland. But also far away enough from the Tokyo Shatterdome where they had their own set of political drama. While technically still in Britannian territory, most Britannians didn't seemed to have cared that Cherno Alpha – a European Union Jaeger – was near there during kaiju alert deployments – or that the PPDC had students of multiple nationalities fly into Anchorage only to take the hopper plane to Kodiak Island for Academy training.

It was both exile and the best posting either of them could hope for at the moment. Lelouch idly wondered if a kaiju could pick up Anchorage's runoff current and swim all the way up the cold Arctic waters to attack them.

“It sounds like exile,” surprisingly Tohdoh was the one to speak after the silence that Schneizel proposed. Nagisa nodded vigorously.

A few of the other pilot pairs nodded. Even the Europeans, Leila Briesgau and Akito Hyuga looked disgusted as did the Jessops and Gages.

“It saves them from a mob,” Schneizel countered. “And I am banking on the media tour to ease tensions enough that we can begin proper deployments as you've been badgering me about for the last year and half, Marshal Tohdoh.”

“Wow Schneizel, you actually care about your family-”

“Contrary to popular belief, Cornelia, I do care. I also care enough to know that my little brother's words ring true in this instance as you have told me many times, the kaiju are our enemy, not each other,” Schneizel folded his hands together. “Are we in agreement with my proposal?”

The Board conferred quietly, their voices a low murmur over the video feed before one of them nodded. “We are in agreement.”

“Minister Kirihara?”

“We are in agreement. I will bring forth your proposal to the Prime Minister.”

“Good,” Schneizel smiled slightly before looking back at the four newly minted Rangers. “Now then, I believe proper congratulations are in order. On behalf of the Board of Governors and the PPDC, we offer you Rangers, our heartfelt thanks for the sacrifices you have given to this effort so far and hope to see the end of this war as fast as possible.”

This time, there was a general applause, including from the pilot pairs and Lelouch straightened, pride and the sense of anticipation filling him. With Gipsy Danger, he and Suzaku were going to be invincible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc's Open and Ending:
> 
> Opening: access - "Hitomi no Tsubasa"  
> Ending: Egoist - "Fallen"


	2. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Any talent/reporter name that sounds oddly like certain TV personalities are in no way related to real life people.

Sometimes, Lelouch wondered if Schneizel's tendency to show his care for his half-siblings also meant giving them his messes that he really didn't feel like cleaning up.

The Britannian woman that had been assigned to Lelouch and Suzaku for the Pendragon-portion of the public relations media blitz tour was a Purist through and through. Alicia Lohmeyer was of minor noble blood, one of the lower families that was always a vassal to a bigger one, but could dutifully claim at least five generations of Britannian _noblelesse_ to her name. Originally part of the ASEEC, she was an outsider to the PPDC media branch, but nonetheless had been assigned as a liaison between the actual PPDC media specialist – a lovely Australian woman by the name of Angela Hansen.

Lohmeyer was supposed to coordinate with Angela on their schedules: one interview with a vetted Pendragon-based national news host, a serious interview; then another one with a reputable east coast morning program for a more light-hearted interview. The east coast one also served the purpose of letting the Britannians there to get a rare chance to meet Jaeger pilots. In between the interviews there would be a fete at Pendragon honoring them.

Lelouch had immediately put his foot down _hard_ on the last part. He was not going to set foot anywhere near Pendragon Palace. It was bad enough he was going to be in Pendragon city, but the palace and the fete was just too much. Lohmeyer insisted. Lelouch raged at her.

Angela tried to intervene and the Britannian woman readily dismissed her with a sniff and some words about an outsider not understanding the principles and values of Britannian society. Lelouch put a call to Schneizel and received a single message back from his assistant Kanon Maldini – “it's your problem now.”

That was when Lelouch knew his brother had sent him Lohmeyer to deal with.

“Your brother does that?” Suzaku was attempting to button up the stiffer dress uniforms the PPDC had issued them. They were dubbed by the more military minded folks as 'dress blues' worn only to formal occasions. Lelouch was used to the material, some of his old formal dress when he had been a Prince made up of similar weight and feel.

He reached over and helped Suzaku with the collar. “Lift your chin a little,” he said and as soon as Suzaku did, he snapped the last two buttons in place-

“Ack!” Suzaku choked, coughing as he grimaced against the tightness of the collar now resting against his neck.

“Just breathe normally. You're get used to it soon enough,” he stepped away and finished his own buttons.

“Ugh,” his partner made a face as he grimaced and tried to pull at the collar.

“Suzaku stop, you're going to undo the buttons-”

“It doesn't feel right. It's not like the grey ones-”

“That's why they're the casual uniforms,” he arched a look at his friend who rolled his eyes in return.

“I feel like it's hitting my gag reflex or something,” he rubbed his neck again, working his jaw around the feel. Lelouch ignored his complaints and instead addressed Suzaku's original question.

“My brother doesn't really have any ambitions of his own. He can identify problems easily, and sometimes expends the effort to neutralize said problems, but he more often than not, foists them upon the siblings he likes the best – like a token of his affection or something of that nature.”

“Why?”

“I think it's his way of keeping us entertained or something. Maybe. I'm not sure. Schneizel loves odd things. Why do you think he keeps Kanon near him?”

“I thought Kanon was his Knight?”

Lelouch stared at Suzaku for a moment before shaking his head. “Kanon is my elder brother's secretary 'in all things public and private.' His words, not mine. He's never been introduced to anyone in the family as his Knight.”

Suzaku's eyes widened. “Aside from the implications of that statement, what does it mean? I thought most of the royals had Knights?”

“I didn't have one,” he looked back before a rueful smile appeared on his face. “Well...until recently.”

Suzaku blushed rather prettily against the dress blues, but met his gaze squarely and boldly. Lelouch leaned over and quickly pecked him on the nose in return. They were alone in the dressing room, with a bug diffuser that had been activated to prevent any potential PPDC secrets from being leaked out, but had been given to Lelouch by the Gages before they headed out on their media tour. The Gages didn't say anything, but the fact that they had given him such a device meant a lot to Lelouch.

“Knights are chosen with careful consideration. There has to be absolute trust between the royal and the Knight as they are both the weapon of the noble they serve and the last line of defense that protects them from any harm. Knights are also forbidden to marry, have children or significant others once they take the oath. They don't want anything to divide their loyalty. Normally if they have siblings or parents who are alive, they are highly encouraged to forget about them so that they can devote themselves to the royal they've pledged their lives towards.

“They are also encouraged to form a cadre or coterie of followers, of lesser nobles or those that are looking for promotion to knighthood. They are expected to teach these squires the code of honor, to also devote themselves to the royal they follow, and even to sacrifice themselves so that the royal's goals are achieved in any way possible. The Knights of the Round are the prime example of this. All sworn to the Emperor, all willing to die or fight for him no matter what.”

“But the Gages and Lord Weinberg-”

“If the Emperor wishes it, he could order them off the frontlines and serve elsewhere. But he probably understands the implications of what he's asking,” Lelouch shrugged as he leaned against the chair that was in their small dressing room. “If not, Schneizel in his duties as Prime Minister can certainly remind him.”

Suzaku nodded before a thoughtful expression crossed his face. “Lelouch...was your mother a Knight of the Round?”

Lelouch was a little surprised at the question considering he had not spoken openly about his mother except for the moment she died at Trespasser's hands or that she held the title of Empress and was a Knightmare pilot. Suzaku must have sensed his surprise as he tapped his head. “I...remember seeing a brief glimpse of you and Nunnally playing at, I think Aires Villa, and the Emperor and your mother sitting and talking?”

“How did you extrapolate Knight from that?”

“Well, it's logical that if the Emperor gave your mother the title of Empress and not one of his other wives, and also visited you and Nunnally on rare occasion, your mother must have done something to impress him. Given the fact that she was also a Knightmare pilot, it would stand to reason that the Knights of the Round are all Knightmare pilots too.”

As much as Lelouch was bitter about the Emperor and his lack of care towards Marianne's death, he was still touched by how insightful Suzaku was. He nodded. “My mother was a former Knight of One. She was bested in combat by Bismark Waldstein soon after she found out she was pregnant with me, or at least that's the story told.”

“The story told?”

“I think my mother allowed Bismark to take her title so she could retire with the title of Empress and have me,” Lelouch shrugged. “Bearing a child of the Emperor was far more politically advantageous than being the Knight of One.”

“She had you, that's all that counts,” Suzaku smiled at him. “Thanks for telling me.”

Lelouch merely nodded. His friend didn't need to know that he was hoping to prepare them for any unusual questions that would come up in their interview. Though the host had been vetted thoroughly by Lohmeyer and confirmed by Angela to ensure that it wasn't one of the more gossip-prone news stations, they were still expecting some invasive questions considering it would be their first ever public appearance.

Just the fact that they had to get special passes for Suzaku to actually enter the Britannian homeland – never mind the fact that Hawai'ian officials had not even batted an eyelid at a Japanese entering what was technically Britannian territory back in between Term 2 and 3 – told Lelouch that this media tour was going to be hard work. He only hoped that whatever they said would at least give Suzaku a chance to be seen as a human instead of as a second-class citizen from a place that many Britannians thought should have been conquered long ago or worse.

He shut the device off and pocketed it as Suzaku opened the door. They stepped out, waiting in the assigned guest room where they knew the cameras would be on them, to showcase them as upcoming guests. Lelouch schooled his features to be as neutral as possible and saw Suzaku do the same.

Lohmeyer and Angela had both worried about Suzaku's lack of media training, but it turned out that his partner did have an unusual one. It was a more expressive style than the polished, disinterested royal one Lelouch had been given. It matched their personalities well, he supposed – he did like the cloak his aloofness hid him from and Suzaku was seen as a kind figure, which was why his efforts in Manila had been hailed by the countries in the eastern hemisphere as a leader and ally for those attacked by kaiju.

After about ten minutes, they were gathered by the stage director and sent out onto the set. There was no audience for this live show, making the set a rather large echo chamber that sounded a bit like the insides of a conn-pod.

They quickly shook hands with the hostess, a woman with thin, but voluminous grey hair that was styled neatly for television, giving her a perceived increase in height and stature of a wise woman. Her name was Barbara Wallers and though she shook Suzaku's hand, Lelouch noted that she was trying to swallow her apparent prejudices or distaste for greeting the Japanese man.

They sat down and a makeup artist went to touch Wallers' face up. Lelouch declined a touch up of make up – the feel of the caking material used to get rid of unnecessary shine or sheen on the face already sticky from the hundreds of overhead lights lit up on the set. Lelouch deliberately took the outside seat, making sure Suzaku sat inside of him.

Angela stood off camera nodding in agreement while Lohmeyer merely narrowed her eyes at them. The Britannina woman had instructed them to sit opposite. From a visual standpoint, it was the equivalent of exposing Suzaku to the viewers to pick apart rather easily, but Lelouch was in no mood for that type of visual warfare. Suzaku was going to sit inside, _protected_ by him.

“Ah, well-”

“It's a preference thing,” Lelouch replied easily as Wallers saw they had changed their seating position. She adjusted her chair, which he noted had originally been turned towards the inside seat, where Suzaku now sat. He suspected that the way she turned her seat meant that it gave her a chance to exclude Suzaku from any conversation if he had been sitting on the outside.

“And we're back in five, four-” the stage director suddenly held up fingers that counted down to one before a red light appeared on one of the main cameras.

“And we're back now with our main feature for the evening. As you know, a little over nine months ago the Pan-Pacific Defense Corp announced that starting with Class A of the 2016 corp of students, they would allow civilians to try out their hand at becoming Jaeger pilots. We are pleased to have here on our show, the first of the civilian graduates, Rangers Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi.”

Lelouch was somewhat surprised Wallers didn't mangle Suzaku's last name as Lohmeyer and many of the others they had encountered so far did.

The woman turned towards him. “Now then, the question we've all been wanting to ask, how is Ranger training, Ranger Lamperouge?”

Lelouch opened his mouth, before a brilliant idea struck him and he turned to Suzaku and tilted his head. “ _You wanna get this one?_ ” He deliberately asked in Japanese.

Suzaku for his part, caught on real quick before shrugged. “Sure,” he replied in English with just a small hint of his native accent.

They heard a couple of gasps from the camera crew that was instantly hushed by the stage director frantically waving his hands as he touched his headset. The main camera light turned off and another one turned on, this one positioned on both him and Suzaku based on the camera feed to the monitor they saw near it. Wallers had turned back to face Suzaku, a slight grimace on her face that she tried to make look like a smile.

“It was hard, Ms. Wallers,” Suzaku started, “you're expected to be at your physical as well as your mental best. The memorization of the Jaeger bushido forms takes top priority along with the memorization of concepts of Jaeger Tech, Kaiju Science and its bioforms as well as extrapolation of attack data. This helps inform future strategies we have against the kaiju when they attack. It also helps us try to predict when and where the next one will come. We know so little of the kaiju, so we also offer up theories during our classes.”

“Erm,” Wallers cleared her throat, “your, uh, English is good. Did, uh, you learn it during the Academy?”

“No,” Suzaku smiled, one Lelouch knew did not reach his eyes, but the effortless way Suzaku's voice wrapped around it, made it sound like it was a kind and polite one. “I grew up bilingual.”

“I guess that helped you at the Academy, right? Along with...the others?”

“I was not the only Japanese there, Ms. Wallers,” Suzaku said. “Though I am humbled and privileged to have that chance like many others. We all learned the common language of war at the Academy. Concepts and sharing of data and theories among our classmates was encouraged as was the cooperation to ensure that we were all united behind the cause.”

“Cause?”

“The destruction of the kaiju,” Suzaku lifted an eyebrow as if it was the simplest thing in the world. It took every effort for Lelouch not to snicker or smile at that statement. Suzaku was killing her with deliberate, polite kindness.

Wallers' smile was definitely a grimace as she nodded and turned back to Lelouch. Her eyes were seemingly pleading with him to not toss her next question back to Suzaku. He was still deciding.

“Tell me Ranger Lamperouge, what motivated you to join the PPDC and become a Ranger? The last we saw-”

“The video about four years ago,” Lelouch interrupted with a slow blink of his eyes.

“Erm, yes. So that is you?”

He could see the the metaphoric gears in Wallers' head turning as she processed the information. It was a confirmation that the grainy video shown of his self-exile was indeed him and not alleged or purported footage.

“I certainly didn't _exile_ myself, if that's what you're referring to,” he replied coolly. If there was on thing he would do – and with Wallers giving him the perfect opening – he would nip the whole 'Exiled Prince' thing in the bud. He did not need the Emperor's attention on him nor did he want a cult or any excuse for insurrectionists to get the bright idea that he was some kind of royal in exile that they could build a government around. No need for assassins to be sent after him and Suzaku when there was a fucking kaiju war going on.

“Then what do you call it?” Wallers proved her sharpness as a journalist with her question and Lelouch inclined his head once towards her excellent follow up.

“Abdication of the roles and duties of my former station for a fair chance at a higher calling,” he replied, drawing himself up. “And because if there was one truth you can take from that video is that the Emperor was right: I had never lived until now. I had been born into privilege and lived in its comforts without knowing what the world outside the gilded palace walls was like until war came to my front door and took away my loved ones.”

“What do you mean fair chance? Are you implying that your sisters, Second Princess Cornelia and Third Princess Euphemia li Britannia have an unfair advantage?”

“They chose to pursue the same path. Whether that is an unfair advantage or not is up for them to say. Not for me to speculate or for others to dissect. I speak for my own experiences and have determined that my former title gave me such an unfair advantage.”

“Lelouch,” Suzaku's quiet interruption stopped him and he took a deep breath, realizing that he had nearly lost his composure.

He straightened and stared at Wallers. “The kaiju came out of the Breach around four years ago. I decided that if I had the chance, if I could make a difference in my life, it would be to defeat them. I had everything taken away from me. I am sure the others who have joined the Academy or the PPDC feel the same. This war does not know boundaries, borders, countries or ethnicity, Ms. Wallers. If we don't band together and do something, we'll all die in the end.”

“But in the end, you have become an Ranger, so one could say your title did provide you with an advantage, wouldn't it?”

“And so did Suzaku,” he gestured towards his partner, “he graduated too. As did Margrave Gottwald and Knight-Lieutenant Nu. The 2016-B class will have more, civilians with no titles nor advantages towards them. I am not a Prince, Ms. Wallers, as you seem to imply. I am simply Ranger Lelouch Lamperouge and my partner is Ranger Suzaku Kururugi.”

* * *

The interview was concluded shortly after with a few softball questions thrown at Lelouch that he easily deflected to Suzaku, giving him the lion's share of air time while he contemplated the fallout of his answers. He hoped Schneizel would appreciate him attempting to firmly nip the whole 'Exiled Prince' thing in the bud without being asked. Wallers thanked them for their time once the cameras and microphones were taken from them by the stage director, even shaking Suzaku's hand a little more firmly and friendlier than the initial greeting he received.

The journalist seemed to indicate that they had made a definite impression on her as they left the studio, headed back to the luxury hotel rooms they had been given for the duration of the visit.

“Well, it wasn't that bad-”

Lohmeyer snorted in a very unladylike gesture to Angela's comment.

“And the two of you made an impression on Ms. Wallers, so there's that. She's one of the more centric journalists though she's been leaning conservatively quite lately,” Alice ignored another snort from Lohmeyer.

“There is no left, right, or center in Britannia, Ms. Hansen. You do well to remember that. There is only the Emperor and his will.”

“I meant hawks and doves, ma'am,” Angela smiled ruefully. “We do want the PPDC to get some support here.”

“Hmph. I don't know how that's going to happen since you,” Lohmeyer stared daggers at Lelouch, “allowed... _him_ to answer the questions. This was supposed to be your moment-”

Lelouch had enough. He was already annoyed, tired, and plainly, done with this media circus of a tour that Schneizel had suggested. It was the first interview and then there was the party – at nearby Menra Villa instead of Pendragon after Lelouch really complained up a storm – tomorrow. Then there was the east coast flight and another interview there-

He turned his gaze to Lohmeyer, a sharp one that silenced the other woman. He sensed Suzaku's mild disapproval at his action in the bond between them, but it faded away as he felt the barest kick to his leg from his partner. Suzaku was curious as to what he was going to do.

“Alicia Lohmeyer, age twenty-eight,” Lelouch adopted the most indifferent look he could muster. “Graduated the University of San Mateo with high honors in political science. Joined the Purists faction as a college club based on your rank of nobility. They made you their speechwriter. Afterwards, got an internship in the ASEEC by the grace of one of your colleagues and rose up the ranks of the communications department. Seems like you stepped on a lot of toes there judging by the numerous HR complaints on your file for harassment and abusive behavior. All denied of course, all covered up by your fellow Purists. Your critics moved elsewhere or silenced. The only two that are stuck on your record are from Dr. Lloyd Asplund for misuse of staff resources and Dr. Caitlin Lightcap for a belittling comment about her Drift partner and husband, Captain Sergio D'Onofrio during Pons testing.”

Lohmeyer's eyes were wide with fear. Even Angela had fallen silent and was slowly inching away from the woman sitting next to her. “H-How...”

“Do I know?” Lelouch tilted his head, his focus directly on the woman. “I was not the seventeenth in line for the throne for nothing, Ms. Lohmeyer. I was not called the Eleventh Prince of Britannia. I may not be any of those titles anymore, but I do still have the resources of my siblings and their allies.” He smiled, a chilling one directed at her. “Tell me, Ms. Lohmeyer, do you ever look at those around you? From the simple waiter to a traffic cop, or even the driver that is driving this car right now?”

Lohmeyer's reaction was immediate as her head shot back to the driver and back to him. “W-What-”

“David,” Lelouch called out to the driver.

“Sir?”

“Please pull over when you can, safely I might add. No particular rush,” he asked. They were on the highway.

“Sir,” David started to make the motions to pull over to the emergency lane.

“David St. Clair used to be a mechanic in charge of repairing my mother's Knightmare even when she retired from the battlefield. He doesn't have the five generations you claim to be of noble house, but he was an excellent mechanic and could make the gears sing silently, at least that's what my mother said. Then, she died. And David was without a job. He joined the ASEEC under Dr. Asplund to help in his special projects and research on improving the KMF and Jaeger technology. Only to encounter you one day on your climb to the top of the communications department. You ruined his career, left him destitute and had Asplund lodge a complaint against your record that was left unresolved. A man's gotta work so David here joined the Pendragon Shatterdome's branch of PPDC members to try to scrape by. Until he was called to drive two freshly minted Rangers on a media tour – helmed by his old enemy, you, Ms. Lohmeyer. But David is too much a professional to make any complaints against a minor noble such as yourself.”

His smile lowered the temperature of the car a few degrees. “Too bad for you that one of the two Rangers you were asked to take on this media tour used to be his former employer's son.”

There was a definite fear in Lohmeyer's expression that made Lelouch draw a sense of pleasure from. He felt the car stop.

“Sir, we're safely over now.”

“Thank you David,” Lelouch replied. He turned back to Lohmeyer, aware that even with the engine running, one could hear a pin drop in the vehicle. “Ms. Lohmeyer, you've been deemed a nuisance to be rid of by my brother Schneizel. As he has this habit of being a bit too lazy to clean up after himself, he handed me this problem. Now, I'm normally not one to really care for gifts like these, but I will use this opportunity to trade a favor for a favor from my brother. So Ms. Lohmeyer, I am getting rid of you, now.”

“Y-You're not going to k-kill-”

“Hardly,” he rolled his eyes. “Don't be so dramatic. I don't need a scandal of a minor house noble on my hands. I got better things to do. No, Ms. Lohmeyer, you're going to get out of this car right now and walk.”

“W-Where-”

“Anywhere. I don't care,” he finished his phone out and tapped a button, “I just sent Schneizel an email saying that you've been taken care of. He can make of it what he will, but your access to ASEEC will be rescinded, your employment terminated. You can probably have whatever bank accounts you still own open, but your record will have a black mark on it since you're essentially fired for incompetence.”

The woman's jaw dropped. “B-But...but...”

He held out his hand. “Oh, give me your cellphone and PDA too, including your backup. Can't have you trying to call the media.”

Lohmeyer blinked several times before she shakily dropped all three items into his hand. He quickly typed in them, unleashing a specific worm that Schneizel had designed to erase all relevant data about the ASEEC and the PPDC. The worm did its job in a scant few seconds as well as being uploaded to the cloud to destroy her backups before he handed her the items back.

“I-”

“You can try to attack me, but I wouldn't,” he said as he saw the moment where she was contemplating to see if she could hit him or not for her humiliation. “This is a mercy, Alicia Lohmeyer. Schneizel wants you dead or gone. I'm a little more lenient.”

The car door opened, the loud sounds of the highway rushing by. The intention was clear, to leave willingly or to be thrown out onto the highway where she would more than likely be hit by oncoming traffic.

She swallowed heavily before stepping out of the car. Lelouch waited as she gingerly cleared the emergency lane, walking slowly down it in relative safety of the oncoming traffic before he reached over and closed the door. The rushing sounds was replaced by a void of near silence.

“You can continue David,” he said.

“Yes sir,” David's voice was subdued, but he did as told.

As they pulled back onto the highway, Lelouch felt his phone buzz and glanced down to see a single message from Schneizel. [Thank you]

He typed back [You owe me], and pocketed his phone. He turned to see Angela with a contemplative expression on her face. She looked like she had questions and he sighed.

“What?” he asked.

“Hmm?”

“Ask,” he shook his head. “Comment, whatever you want to say, just say it.”

“I'm...surprised you didn't go after her with the accusations of her Purists view...or-”

“The verbal attacks she's been subjecting you and Suzaku with for the last two days we've been in her presence?” he finished.

“Well...yes,” Angela nodded.

Lelouch glanced at Suzaku who was staring back at him, though he was unusually quiet. There was nothing he could read from their bond. He looked back at Angela.

“Lohmeyer wouldn't have changed if I went after her with that line. The Purists are too ingrained in their beliefs of blood superiority to really listen to any other arguments. To try to 'educate' them is also impossible. They'll attempt to twist whatever words you use into their own logic. In this case, because Lohmeyer believes so much in the Purist faction's bullshit, it takes someone whom she sees as an ideal of blood purity – Schneizel or Asplund – to really hammer home that her thoughts and her actions have serious consequences. For her to fall by the grace of myself, someone who was once a royal, was _not_ considered a Purist because of his commoner mother, digs that wound a lot deeper.”

He snorted lightly. “To cast myself as Schneizel's right hand will rankle her as will my mercy that I have her life in my hands. Whether or not she'll change from that is another story, but it is a bitter pill for her to swallow.”

Angela looked impressed, but she glanced over to the front of the car. “Err...”

“Schneizel deliberately assigned David knowing that I would recognize him. Asplund is one of my brother's favorites – don't ask me why the Earl of Pudding is a favorite, even I don't know, he got on my nerves when he tried to wheedle Nina away at the Academy. The complaint Asplund lodged against Lohmeyer made it all the way to Schneizel's desk and in order to ensure that one of his favorites is happy, all of this happened.”

He directed his next words to the driver. “David St. Clair, I apologize for using you in such a manner. But my brother has told me that he is willing to bring you back as an employee under the ASEEC now that Alicia Lohmeyer has been dealt with.”

“I-It's...quite all right, Your High-errr, sir,” David replied, “though...I guess perhaps I could ask a favor if it is all right?”

Lelouch looked surprise. “I may not have the power to grant it.”

“Yes, but like you had told Ms. Lohmeyer, you have your brother's ear. I, uh, was hoping perhaps to transfer to Anchorage? To, uh, work on the, uh, Jaeger you'll be piloting with Ranger Kururugi?”

“Gipsy Danger?”

“Y-Yes sir...”

Lelouch shrugged. “All right. Consider it done. I'll ask him after tomorrow's circus of a party is done.”

“Thank you sir,” their driver sounded happier.

The rest of the drive was in silence as they arrived at the hotel. Lelouch got out of the car, holding the door open for Angela, but glanced back as Suzaku stayed for a minute to seemingly talk with their driver. He didn't see what was said, but there was an earnest expression Suzaku's face before David seemingly nodded. He watched as his partner got out of the car and joined them as they walked into the lobby. David drove away, finished with his shift for the evening.

“What was that about?” he asked as they rode the elevator up to their floor. He absently typed an email to Schneizel about getting David St. Clair a transfer up to Anchorage as part of Gipsy Danger's engineering team. He said he would have done it tomorrow, but he knew that he would more than likely forget tomorrow with what he had to do to mentally prepare himself.

“Nothing, just wanted to chat with him, get to know you a little better,” Suzaku replied and he glanced up at his friend before glancing back down and sending the email. He looked back up and eyed his friend as the elevator stopped and the three of them got out.

“Have a goodnight Rangers. I'll be coming by tomorrow around 0900 to prepare for the day's events. Dress blues please,” Angela lifted the two garment bags she carried that held their dress blues.

Suzaku groaned, absently tugging the collar of the grey uniform they had changed into once the interview was over. Lelouch laughed a little before they bid Angela a good night as she entered her room.

They headed to their rooms, two singles that were joined next to each other. The Gages had advised that they book separate rooms on the off chance that they didn't really exactly want others finding out about their relationship. Lelouch had been a little puzzled as to _how_ the Gages figured out he and Suzaku were in a relationship until Suzaku had simply said that they were their trainers. To them, it would be easy to see what others couldn't see.

He entered his own room, shedding his clothes and folding them before changing into his usual night attire. Crawling underneath the sheets, he drew the covers over himself before he shut the lights – and waited. He heard the muffled sound of Suzaku shuffling in his room before silence descended save for the gentle hum of the central air conditioning unit.

Lelouch reached into the pocket of the jacket hanging nearby and activated the device. The buzz between his teeth made it slightly uncomfortable, but he gingerly got out of his bed and padded over to the joined door that connected the two rooms together. He knocked twice.

He could not hear the door unlock over the buzzing sound, but the cool shift of air told him that it was open before Suzaku's hands groped at him and pulled him into his bedroom. Lelouch smiled and squeezed his hand in return before he set the device onto the nightstand and crawled into the bed, followed quickly by his lover. He felt Suzaku's arms encircle him and he nuzzled his nose into his neck, breathing him in. Suzaku smelled of earthen sweat mingled with the barest hint of a perfumed scent that was supposed to be sea water from the shampoo he used.

“I'll admit, I was a little disturbed by your punishment of Lohmeyer,” he heard his partner whisper into his ear, almost licking it by how close his lips were. He couldn't keep himself from shuddering at how it tickled at the same time sent a primal part of his brain into overdrive. He immediately shut that part down. The devicer had its limits and definitely wouldn't be able to muffle any sounds if they had sex. It was just enough to generate static against any listening or visual devices, not completely nullify them.

He nodded to Suzaku's words as he settled into his warm embrace, the covers drawn over them as the snuggled together.

“But...gotta admit, the lead up, that was _hot_ ,” Suzaku whispered before Lelouch felt the barest _bite_ of Suzaku's teeth on his earlobe. He jerked and looked up to see his lover smiling at him, the promise of much more in that gaze.

“Suza-”

“I know...not now...later, when we get back,” his friend promised before kissing him lightly on the lips. His arms tightened around Lelouch. “...Sleep.”

Lelouch blinked several times as he settled again before he closed his eyes, letting himself relax into the hands running through his hair. He felt the buzz of the devicer being turned off by Suzaku as they settled into sleep, content in each other's arms.

* * *

The next morning Lelouch was woken up by the buzz between his teeth as Suzaku activated the device. It was a signal that he should get back to his room before anyone who had planted listening bugs or cameras became suspicious. He went back, but not before dropping a very long, heavy kiss on his lover for his little stunt last night, ending it by biting Suzaku's bottom lip in retaliation. He had left with a very satisfied smile on seeing his partner all but sprawled eagle on his bed, blinking up at the ceiling. He loved how he could make his partner so weak at the knees with just one kiss some times – and all of it pluck from Suzaku's own memories from the relationships he had prior to enrolling at the Academy.

His partner's sexuality and preference for both men and women had never been an issue for him. He readily appreciated the experience and the patience Suzaku showed with him, considering he himself didn't have a preference nor an inclination. But he was also of the firm belief that the Drift was a rather intimate experience – two minds melding together, their lives, experiences and feelings intertwining with one another. For them, starting what others called a traditional relationship was natural. But it wasn't something called so simple as that. It was just a natural part of Drifting, of their friendship and part of their process and what the Dr. Lightcap had said was a grounding technique. It helped keep them in the here and now instead of lost in the memories of intense ghost Drifts or something they had yet to experience – post-combat Drift.

Lelouch closed the door that joined their rooms and instead, took a shower, a lukewarm one to both wash away any more thought of sex, mentally preparing himself for the day. He was dreading today.

There had been no way to cancel the party, though Lelouch lobbied the successful change in venue. Menra Villa was a lot smaller than Pendragon Palace, so the courtiers would be less, but it was mostly the royal family that would be in attendance. He didn't know if the Emperor would attend himself, but Lelouch really did not want to be seeing his siblings – most of whom he disliked on a intensely personal basis. It would bring back bad memories and also subject Suzaku to their manipulations – something he didn't think his partner, with all of his media-trained polite charm, could handle. Stepping into the party at Menra Villa would be like stepping into a pit of vipers. With no solid ground.

The knock on his door came at 0900 as Lelouch had finished eating a breakfast he had ordered. He opened the door to see Angela holding up his garment bag.

“Dress blues!” she called cheerfully.

He rolled his eyes and took the bag before she left to go knock on Suzaku's door. He closed his own door just as Suzaku opened his and heard the muffled 'dress blues!' in the same cheerful tone.

“Thank you, Angela,” Suzaku replied politely, “I have some extra food if you haven't had any yet?”

“Aww, you're such a sweet dear, but no thank you. I ate a bearclaw this morning on my way up to pick up the clothes from the concierge,” Angela's voice was muffled as Lelouch unzipped the bag and began to dress himself in the formal uniform.

“Bearclaw?”

“Oh, not an actual claw of a bear. It's a fluffy pastry, like a croissant. Usually filled with almond paste and raisins. The way the dough rises makes it look a little like a bear's claw. Hence, bearclaw.”

“You Britannians have weird names for foods,” Suzaku murmured.

“Not a Britannian, Suzaku. I'm Australian,” she reminded him.

“I'm sorry. I-”

“I'm just teasing you. You remind me of my son, Chuck. Good boy, very sweet. We get all kinds of food imported from both the Asian countries and from Britannia. I guess one of the benefits of neutrality. Though bearclaws are actually hard to import into Australia, so I wasn't going to waste my opportunity to not get one while I was here.”

“You like them?”

“They're not bad. Though I can only eat them maybe once in a while. A little too sweet if you eat them day in and day out. We'll get you one for tomorrow when we fly east, all right?”

“I suppose,” Suzaku sounded doubtful, but moments later the door closed. Lelouch heard footsteps come towards the door that separated their rooms and then a brief double knock. “Lelouch-”

“Euphie probably likes them. She likes anything sweet. They're...okay, I guess. Too sweet for my tastes.”

“Probably because you're not a sweet person,” Suzaku replied was muffled, but Lelouch heard the dry tone in it and he laughed as he buttoned up his jacket. He did the top two buttons. “Euphie is a sweet person.”

“Sugary sweet?”

“Sugar plum fairy sweet,” Suzaku replied. There was some sounds of crinkling. “I hate this thing...”

“Suzaku just put it on and stop complaining,” Lelouch called back as he adjusted the collar and shoulders.

“You think we can bring some back to Anchorage?”

“Good idea, though they do get stale fast. We have a long flight from the east coast to Alaska...”

“Oh,” Suzaku's voice was farther away now and Lelouch suspected his friend was changing.

“Vacuum seal could work. We can ask Angela later,” Lelouch offered. It was thoughtful of Suzaku to bring something back to Euphie and the others on their core team from Pendragon. Something he would never have thought of if he had never met his friend. Gifts for others, except for his siblings, was not exactly a thing. He didn't really have friends growing up – Euphie, Nunnally and maybe Marrybell the exception. Royal playmates were usually too terrified to really stimulate his mind and Schneizel had been ten years older than he was when he was growing up so playing with him except for chess matches was not a thing. Clovis was an ass and a brat and always tried to one-up him on silly things that left him more annoyed than anything else.

There was a grunt before Suzaku growled out. “I hate this piece of shit uniform.”

“Did you get the collar?”

“Yeah,” was the irritated reply.

Lelouch really wanted to add that he could kiss and make it better, but held is tongue. He slipped the bug diffuser device into his inner pocket and packed away the rest of his clothes into his duffel bag. They would be leaving from the party to the airport to fly east to make it to an interview with a popular morning television station. Then the rest of the day would be spent on a tour of some of the factories responsible for putting out certain part for Jaegers.

He heard a small pinging sound, Suzaku's phone or PDA must have alerted him to something as he finished packing and hefted his duffel bag. “Ready?” he called out to the closed door.

There was no answer.

Lelouch frowned before he walked over and knocked twice. “Suzaku?”

“Er, uh, yeah,” Suzaku sounded distracted before he opened the door and a puzzled expression was on his face. “Um...Lelouch...” He shoved his phone into his face and it took Lelouch a moment to process that Suzaku got a text from Milly that only said: [Aww, you're trending on social]

Lelouch fished out his own phone and immediately dialed Milly's number.

“Hmm, oh, I figured you'd be calling as soon as I sent that text,” Milly's voice was pitched just a little higher than normal, a sign that she was either plotting something or having fun at someone's expense.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your interview,” Milly replied, “It aired last night, well, early evening. Live. You know. The one you did.”

“And?”

“Er, you didn't check social media?”

“Milly, we're in the PPDC. Social media is strictly forbidden,” Lelouch reminded her.

“Yeah, well, the PPDC better get its head out of its ass and check out how you guys are trending like there's no tomorrow. Suzaku, you're apparently the hottest thing in Britannia since sliced bread!”

Suzaku's expression morphed instantly into one of concern. “...What?” They both stared at the phone that slowly showed Milly's name.

“I mean, aside from all of the political pundits and older demographics trying to rip you apart, you're trending in a positive way in the younger demographic. You've apparently garnered yourself a very fast and suddenly devoted flock of fangirls and fanboys. The clip in particular that's shooting you up is your accent, Suzaku. Apparently kids these days can't get _enough_ of your accent and the way you pronounce English words. They are all over themselves listening to you call out Lulu here in that moment he goes all icy cold and does that Prince-like thing he does. They're also swooning over the way you totally just slammed the metaphoric door on Wallers' face by saying you grew up bilingual after her attempt at casual racism of saying your English is good.”

“...Erm...”

“Suzaku,” Milly sighed and Lelouch could almost imagine her throwing out her hands dramatically for effect. “If that wounded duck thing you had going on at the end of Term 1 was bad, this one...yeah, well. I'd be prepared for a media shitstorm and rabid fangirls if you go to that party tonight at Menra Villa. You've apparently nailed down the sudden explosion of the Britannian market for exotic sex appeal, Kururugi.”

Lelouch did not need to look at his partner to feel the sheer embarrassment emanating from him. Suzaku's face was getting redder by the minute as he flushed with shame and horror. “Milly-”

“You're trending right behind him too, though you've got that whole dangerous vibe of a rebel prince going on. The twenty-somethings are liking your attitude, finding something appealing about that icy cold and indifferent thing. But sorry, Lulu, Suzaku's got you beat for fangirls.”

Lelouch looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “...Shit...”

Milly laughed. “Indeed. I think we can chalk this media tour as a success.”

“Too successful,” Lelouch muttered.

“Your brother'll be happy right?”

“As long as money keeps funding the PPDC probably. Recruitment rates, yes, but this shit...ripe for a royal family scandal.”

“Well, I guess it's a good thing you're not a royal,” Milly replied.

“Still got the connections,” he shot back.

“True but-” Milly suddenly paused for a few seconds before coming back, “-sorry, gotta go. My grandfather's been calling me every twenty minutes non-stop. Someone put two and two together and realized Ashford Academy's got an international exchange program and is located in Japan. Grandfather's gotten applications from students all over the Homeland for the last six hours. I think it's crashing the system.”

Lelouch winced. “...Sorry,” he offered lamely.

“Eh, don't worry. Just stay out of trouble and give Suzaku my best, okay? We'll see you back in a few days!” She hung up and Lelouch was left staring at his phone.

He glanced over to see his friend trembling and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “What can I do?” he asked.

“If...if this is as bad as she says and my family...my country finds out that I've been-I-”

“Turned into a fetish object by Britannians for being 'exotic',” Lelouch finished for him and Suzaku nodded numbly. “Do you think the Japanese will see it that way?”

“I...don't know. We've hated Britannians for so long that...I'm not sure. I don't know how this'll be received. I don't think I want to know, but we have the Japanese leg of the media tour in about a week, right?”

“We do, but I don't like this,” he stated. “This is the exact opposite of what they treated you just over a day ago. From one extreme to another. It's ridiculous.”

Suzaku laughed weakly, his face still red, but he was calming down. “We just need to get past this and go home in two days, right? We can let Schneizel deal with this, right?”

Lelouch looked at his friend and nodded. He squeezed his shoulder. “Yeah. Schneizel created this mess. He can clean this up.”

“Okay...let's go then,” Suzaku took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He still looked a little peaky, but his color was returning back to normal. Lelouch could only hope that Suzaku kept his cool during the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Hansens do exist in this universe and as such, Angela Hansen did not die in Scissure's attack on Sydney. This also has a direct correlation that Herc and Scott Hansen do not become Jaeger pilots nor does Herc's son Chuck become a Jaeger pilot. This is one of the many changes in the PR!universe that I've applied to the CG!fusion.


	3. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part III

When David turned down the entrance to the highway opposite Menra Villa, Lelouch frowned and glanced over to see Angela with the same expression. “Uh-” he started before Suzaku's hand rested on his own.

“I asked him to,” Suzaku explained with a solemn look on his face. Lelouch realized that the quick moment he had seen Suzaku talk to David St. Clair the previous night was for whatever Suzaku had asked.

“Where are we-”

“You'll see,” Suzaku replied before curling his fingers around his own and squeezed it.

It did not take long for Lelouch to recognize the long road to the royal mausoleum. They were stopped at the massive gates that led to the graveyard where hundreds of emperors and empresses that spanned the years of the Britannian empire along with their spouses, siblings or knights were laid to rest. The gates were inlaid with gold and pure pearl white iron-wrought bars. A guard peered in and David held out his PDA.

“I have authorization from Second Prince Schneizel el Britannia for a visitation to the grave of Marianne vi Britannia, Knight of the Round and Consort Empress of the 98th Holy Emperor Charles zi Britannia.”

The guard checked the PDA carefully before nodding. “You are authorized,” he stated before David rolled up the window and continued to drive.

“H-How...” Lelouch was struck dumb.

“His Highness sent me an authorization form for my transfer last night and I asked him for this favor in light of your kindness, sir,” David replied. “Ranger Kururugi...would have thought you'd want to tell your mother of your accomplishments.”

Lelouch blinked his eyes rapidly, refusing with all of his might for the tears to appear. He felt Suzaku squeeze his fingers again, having held his hand the whole trip. He stared at the rearview mirror that showed part of David's face. There was a kindness in the man's eyes as he drove. Lelouch pinched his lips together and looked away, trying to contain the surge of emotions.

Marianne had been buried in a lead-lined coffin. Her funeral had been the last time he had seen most of his half-siblings until the Jaeger Academy. In the aftermath, he had renounced his claim, left Aires Villa with Nunnally and disinherited himself from any royal title and trappings that went with it – including the right to visit his mother's grave.

He and Nunnally had their own private memorial for their mother each year, marking August 10th in their own way. Nunnally created a palm-frond wreath and decorated it with seashells gathered by them with care for last year's memorial. Lelouch had picked up ones he thought Nunnally would like and gave them to her to feel out as he described the colors they had. Sayoko had found a lotus blossom that was placed in the middle of the wreath for them and they spelled out K1 – Knight of One – on the wreath before setting it free to float along the Pacific Ocean currents.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly missed the car stopping and David's quiet words. “We're here, sir.”

Lelouch sucked in a breath, coming back to the here and now and looked outside. He blinked once. The graves of the Emperor's favored Knights. It was as if something had taken possession of him as he found his vision seemingly tunneling to one point. He let go of Suzaku's hand and stepped out of the car, not even bothering to close the door. He walked down the path and up the set of marble stairs, remembering the slow procession from four years ago.

The tomb was a veritable monument with large columns as thick as a Jaeger's leg to make it look like a temple of the ancient Greeks. It was open aired, with a firepit that burned in an unending vigil of the Knights that had fallen in service to the Empire. But the grandness of the structure was lost on Lelouch as he sought out the section that he knew his mother had been buried in. Her coffin was surrounded by hundreds of other Knights, all bearing various numbers or titles, but while their white-marbled slabs were colored from the years, he immediately sought out the brightest and cleanest one – the only one having been buried in the last four years in this particular part of the graveyard.

He stopped, staring at the words etched on the slab that marked his mother's grave. He was at eye-height to it now, having grown several inches in the four years he had been away.

Marianne vi Britannia

Knight of One

Consort-Empress of the 98th Emperor of Britannia

Beloved Mother, Marianne The Flash

Lelouch tasted salt on his lips. He wiped angrily at the tears that were tracking down his face and locked his knees together, refusing to collapse, refusing to give into the weakness of the loss he had suffered. Instead, he grasped at the anger, at the white-hot fury, everything he felt for the kaiju that had taken her away from him. Everything that Trespasser had done to his family.

He trembled and felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't need to know that it was Suzaku who stood next to him. He could feel the soothing balm of understanding wash over their bond, curling and mingling with his fury and anger. Suzaku understood him, understood what it meant for him to visit his mother's grave after all these years. Marianne would be avenged now, his mother's death would be avenged. They were Rangers. They had the means and the weapons to stop every single kaiju from killing more families, from separating loved ones.

_Every single person we save is a person that doesn't have to be mourned. We'll save everyone._

It was their vow. Their bond and their word.

* * *

“We're definitely going to be late,” Angela said quietly as Lelouch and Suzaku returned to the car, closing the door behind them. She was glancing at her PDA with a rueful expression on her face. “It's going to take about...two hours to get to Menra Villa with traffic the way it is right now...” Menra Villa was nestled in the mountains outside of the port city of San Diego which was technically two and a half hours away from Pendragon city proper.

Lelouch sighed, feeling drained. He and Suzaku had wandered the grounds for about an hour or so after he had paid his respects to his mother's grave. He spent the time absently throwing out random facts about the other Knights that Marianne had been buried with, random ones that he knew and learned from the days in Court and from his childhood tutors. Some of them were pretty funny, but some of them were sobering and spoke of Britannia's long and bloody history of conquest.

“Do we really have to go?” he asked.

Angela gave him a sheepish look. “I would like to say no, but Prince Schneizel-”

“Set the damn schedule,” he finished for her. “It's going to be nothing but a pit of fucking vipers and they're going to eat every single one of you, you included David, alive. They'll eat Suzaku as the main course and use you, Angela, to pick their teeth.” He curled a hand into his fist. “Fuck, I knew Schneizel wouldn't let me off the hook about that whole royal fold thing.”

“What?” Angela looked confused, but Suzaku only shook his head, having a better understanding of what he was talking about.

“This is Schneizel's way of attempting to rope me back into the royal...games for the lack of a better word, that the family likes to play. I'm technically an outsider, not a prince, but one with definite connections. He's both tempting me and showing our siblings and the others of the Court that I'm still a part of the intrigue. He knows I can probably hold my own, but he's throwing the rest of you to the wolves just to see if I can swim after all these years.”

“It's a test? For what?”

“I don't know,” Lelouch shook his head. “And I don't like it.” He sighed and ran a hand roughly through his hair as he thought. What did Schneizel stand to gain besides the obvious? He knew his brother...there was something else in all of this. His eyes roamed the columns of the temple that housed the Knights. His older half-brother was at least kind enough to allow him to visit his mother's grave-

Lelouch's thought screeched to a halt as an idea came to him. It was brilliant and would kill many birds with just one stone.

“David,” he suddenly sat forward.

“S-Sir!” David turned his head up so that he was staring at him through the rearview mirror.

Lelouch's lip curled into a slight smile. “Can you drive to the edges of the Non-Habitable Zone in San Francisco?”

“...What?”

“Can you?” he insisted.

“Uh, yes, sir, but...um, sir, can I ask...uh, why?”

“Killing a few birds with one stone,” he replied before he turned to Angela. “Angela, I need you to take a very specific picture and send it to the news program we're interviewing with tomorrow. I'm going to kill their current fluff piece that they're probably preparing. BCC Schneizel on it as a courtesy so he doesn't have a heart attack. I don't want to actually kill my dear half-brother.”

“You actually care,” Angela replied with some good humor. “All right, I'll bite, what picture?”

“We're going to PR the living shit out of this trip and turn everyone's attention away from Suzaku and myself and back to this war. And, I can miss a party guilt-free,” Lelouch glanced over to Suzaku and saw him with a half smile on his face, shaking his head in amusement.

“I was right, gleeful,” his friend said and Lelouch rolled his eyes.

“I don't cackle,” he shot back.

* * *

The picture was posted roughly four and a half hours later. It showed two Rangers, standing side by side overlooking the cliffs of the Non-Habitable Zone that made up the former cities of San Francisco, Oakland and the devastated regions Trespasser and the nuclear strike had left in its wake. The Rangers weren't identifiable by face, but anyone could guess that it was the current pair trending on Britannian social media. The composition framed the seriousness of the PPDC mission, tugged at the heartstrings of those who lost loved ones on K-Day and gave weight to the message that the kaiju didn't care who it took down.

Schneizel sent them a private jet to take them to their morning interview. David had been personally messaged by Kanon to not drive them to the airport for their original flight. It seemed that the image had metaphorically broken the Britannian internet...again. Someone had leaked the original flight plans and they were scrambling to try to protect them from the apparent media mob that was gathering at the airport in an effort to interview the two now-wildly popular Rangers.

As they waited for the jet to arrive, Lelouch and Suzaku watched as their own phones blew up with several text messages from their friends. The Gages were absolutely loving the media attention, though both jokingly wondered if they were to be replaced as the apparently 'poster boys' of the PPDC since they were the original media darlings and Knights to boot.

Cornelia was half raging against Lelouch for missing out the party at Menra Villa, half congratulating him for a well-deserved turn in what she had seen as protecting his partner from the 'rabid wolves' of the public. Guilford texted him once to say that Cornelia was more put out that she was still hosting the party that even she didn't want to have happen and apparently was now being asked to answer all kinds of questions from the more gossipy members of their family and courtiers about his childhood. Guilford promised to try to control Cornelia's rage when it inevitably flared.

Lelouch had chuckled at the resigned humor in that. He suspected Guilford would probably do nothing and let the Witch of Britannia loose upon her hapless half-siblings. He merely texted back that he expected video footage of the ensuing chaos as a favor.

From Euphie, she had only texted him once to say that she was so happy for him and that she was giving him a virtual hug. She apparently had more to talk about with Suzaku than with him as Suzaku's phone kept pinging off the hook. He was almost tempted to ask Suzaku what they were talking about, but left it alone as he considered his other incoming messages.

From Milly, she was complaining up a storm about how that particular image had apparently now some of the _Japanese_ in Tokyo applying to Ashford in an effort to learn more about Britannian culture. Apparently her Grandfather was receiving so many offers from both Britannia and Japan that he was seriously considering expanding the campus now as well as classes. It had accompanied a picture of Milly, Rivalz and Shirley all making faces at the camera to show their mood at the current situation before another one was sent with Ohgi, Tamaki and those who had originally wanted to work with Kallen and Naoto joining Team Gipsy. It seemed everyone was in good spirits back up in Anchorage.

Suzaku had apparently taken a call from Tohdoh somewhere in between the texts, but stepped away to answer. Lelouch couldn't quite catch what was said, but he did feel a sense of warmth and pride in their bond and figured Tohdoh was congratulating Suzaku on his part of the public relations masterstroke.

The Jessops apparently were texting Angela furiously as did her own family, her son and husband pestering her for more information about them. She had shown him one hilarious text from her son that was framed so innocently [I can meet them? Plz?] before going back to talking to her family and the Jessops.

There were many more messages, but Lelouch left them to be answered later when the jet arrived to take them to the east coast for their interview. He and Suzaku fell asleep immediately, sitting next to each other on the flight even before they were half-way up in the air, the day's emotional toll hard on both of them.

They landed in a scant six hours later to Lelouch very groggily being poked awake by his partner along with the tantalizing smell of coffee shoved under his nose. He immediately drank it, grimacing at its horrid taste – airplane coffee was one of the last things he really did not want to drink, but caffeine was caffeine. He glanced over to see Suzaku munching on a rather obnoxiously large bearcat pastry.

“It's not bad...” Suzaku had shrugged. “This one's got apple tart filling.”

Lelouch merely nodded and ate his own breakfast, a plain simple chocolate covered doughnut as the plane landed in New York City. They cleaned up as best as they could in the small jet's bathroom, splashing water on their faces and grooming themselves. When they landed, they were whisked away quickly by David's masterful handling of the smaller narrow highways and city streets that was New York. They arrived shortly at the TV studio for the morning interview, the sky still dark as they were escorted in to the green room to rest and wait. Their jackets were given to be quickly steam pressed, having been wrinkled during the flight and Lelouch nearly fell back asleep, still tired from yesterday's events if not for Suzaku poking him hard in the shoulder to keep him awake.

A plate of actual warm breakfast sandwiches was served to them and Lelouch leapt at the chance to fill his stomach with some substance instead of empty sweet calories of morning pastries. Along with another cup of coffee.

“Do we have to go on the tours after this?” He asked as he finished his second breakfast. He felt more awake now, instead of sluggish from the brief sugar high and buzz of caffeine running through him.

“You should. Considering you've just turned the narrative on its head, it's a serious story now. Plus, it'll help raise the morale of the workers there to see the people they're making these war machines for.” Angela looked sympathetic as she curled her feet under her and sipped the hot basic tea she had ordered. Suzaku drank the same, but Lelouch could tell he was really not pleased with Britannian's version of tea.

“Yeah,” he replied quietly.

“We're almost done, Lelouch,” Suzaku reached over and squeezed his knee. “Then, home.”

“Home,” he echoed. Never more had he wanted to go back to Alaska and the cold. Though a part of him yearned to be in Hawai'i with Nunnally, he knew that he couldn't until the media tour was done and he and Suzaku were given leave. They were part of the PPDC now with all of the military rules and regulations that followed it.

The knock on their door was followed by a production assistant bringing them their steam-cleaned and pressed jackets. She left just as quickly, but Lelouch caught her lingering stare on Suzaku before she closed the door behind her. For his part, it seemed Suzaku either didn't notice or didn't care, ignoring it. They put on their jackets, Suzaku struggling with the collar for a few seconds before buttoning it up, and waited for someone to collect them.

They didn't have to wait long as another knock on their door came and it opened to reveal a stage director with a large headset on gesturing for them to follow. They did and were led to a part of the brightly colored and lit set. Lelouch noticed to some degree of alarm that there were full-length tinted windows that showed the world outside.

And it was crowded.

There were some holding signs up saying hello to loved ones or some that supported the PPDC or even ones that said 'marry me' and so forth. The crowd skewed towards the younger people.

“They can't see inside. Well, not mostly. They can see shadows, but it's more for background shots than anything else,” the stage director reassured them. “They'll see the broadcast as it happens and that's where we get some of the best off-the-cuff remarks and reaction for our program.” There was a slight grimace in the director's expression. “Yeah, we normally don't skew this young...but...” He gave a little shrug.

Lelouch raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer as he and Suzaku were taken to their seats. The set up was rather open instead of the closed set of the previous interview, so Lelouch didn't bother switching seats with his friend. They sat and watched as one of the three talent on the set was finishing up a general report while the other two moved over to sit in the high-backed director's chairs that had been set out for all of them. They weren't the most comfortable thing to sit in, but Lelouch wasn't bothered by it. The interview would be over soon enough and they would move on.

The two didn't say anything until the stage director nodded. “Oh whew,” one of the said. She was a woman with dark skin, a little like Villetta, but with short cropped hair and bright eyes. She extended her hand out and Lelouch leaned over to shake it.

“Good to meet you. I'm Dove Davidson. This is my colleague, Matthew Reinberg. We'll be conducting this interview for the most part,” she introduced herself.

“Lelouch Lamperouge,” he returned. He was rather impressed by her firm tone and no nonsense demeanor as she reached out to Suzaku and shook his hand without hesitation.

“Suzaku Kururugi,” his partner introduced himself.

“Please to meet you,” she replied as Lelouch shook hands with the other talent.

The third one who had been giving a news update continued to sit where she was, but waved at them.

“That's our update anchor, Tessa Imaldris,” Davidson said. She sat down and shuffled her papers as the cameras in the studio re-oriented themselves. “We've only got a couple of minutes left in break, but I wanted to quickly go over with the two of you what we're planning to ask. Originally we were going to go a little bit more on the light side based on the trends from your previous interview with Wallers, but since we were sent that image, we're definitely now skewing more towards the serious topics. We wanted to go over Trespasser-”

“My mother is off limits,” Lelouch immediately interjected.

“Noted,” she replied crisply as she scribbled across a couple of lines. “I figured as much with royal family matters. We won't touch as much on that if you want. Just tell us to stop and we'll move on.”

Lelouch's brow crinkled a little. “Er...thank you for your consideration.”

Her lip curled up in a smile, but she didn't look at them as she continued to go through her papers. “Suzaku, do you mind if I ask about Manila?”

“You know about-”

“Our research team did a lot of heavy lifting for the last few hours,” the male talent, Matthew Reinberg nodded. “My brother was also sent as part of the neutral Britannian contingent for health aide when Manila happened. It would be good to get your perspective.”

“S-Sure...I suppose,” Suzaku looked surprise.

“Obviously, we don't want to completely alienate our audience, so we'll throw some softball questions about what you want the public to know about you. The two of you are media darlings right now. Have you seen-”

“We're aware,” Lelouch replied a little thinly.

She shrugged. “Well, judging by the crowd out there, gotta give the public what they want.” She glanced up at them. “It's kind of easy to figure out the PPDC's angle here with the two of you so we'll touch more on that.”

Reinberg grinned. “We're more...liberal if you want to look at it, than our west coast counterparts. Not so embroiled into Pendragon politics, but still under its influence. There's also the fact that the war hasn't really touched this coast so to our audience here, it's their first time seeing a pilot pair – one they can relate to.”

Lelouch pursed his lips thoughtfully. It was an interesting angle to pursue, but judging by Reinberg's remarks, it seemed likely that Schneizel's hand was guiding this particular interview using the more 'liberal' minded coast to ensure a more favorable result.

“If we have time, we'll also touch on your schedule here. You're supposed to tour the factories?” Davidson jumped in.

“Our Jaeger's currently being built,” Lelouch replied.

“Oh,” Reinberg scribbled his own notes. “Good to know. Can I ask the two of you about the Jaegers and functionality?”

“Don't know how much we're allowed to reveal, but you can ask,” Lelouch was starting to feel a little thrown off by how...accommodating the two in front of them were. He glanced at Suzaku who shook his head, also bewildered. This was a far cry from the Wallers interview just two days ago.

“We're back in fifteen,” the stage director suddenly called out.

“All right,” Davidson and Reinberg immediately sat back, shuffling their papers as they pulled at their hair and face. Reinberg adjusted his tie a little while Davidson seemed to be listening carefully to an earpiece she was wearing.

“Five, four three-”

The red light on a camera with a large arm attached to it was lit, but what was shown on the return screen was the social media post that had set off numerous text messages. Lelouch had not seen it, truth be told, and so saw the image for the first time. It was a beautifully composed shot by Angela. He would have to give her his thanks once the interview was over and they were done with the Britannian media circus.

“The image that's taken the world by storm,” Davidson started her narration, “two young Rangers like avenging angels for humanity. Well-”

The return image showed the four of them on the open set and Lelouch steeled himself.

“-we now have those two young Rangers joining us this morning on our program to talk more about the PPDC's mission, their own personal trials that led them to the Jaeger Academy on Kodiak Island and what's next after graduation. Ranger Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi. Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Suzaku replied politely. Lelouch merely nodded once.

“Now at seventeen and eighteen, the two of you are the youngest, if not one of the youngest to have graduated the Jaeger Program as pilots,” Davidson addressed them with a serious look on her face. Lelouch was a little surprised that she had actually researched Suzaku's birthdate instead of assuming he was the same age as Lelouch. “Only the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg has accomplished such a feat in the last three graduating classes. What informed your decision to join at the bare minimum age? Why so young?”

Lelouch glanced over to his partner and saw Suzaku tilt his head, his own short hand that he was willing to answer to give him time to think. He shifted a little, assenting to Suzaku to take charge of the answer. After this interview was over, he was going to have to teach Suzaku the secret language that he and Euphie used to communicate during parties and while playing.

“When Trespasser attacked, I did not think much of it. To a lot of us, we thought Britannia was getting its just desserts,” Suzaku started quietly. “We had called it a kaiju and while we were sympathetic with the loss of life and how much it took to destroy the kaiju, we put it out of our minds. Then Hundun attacked Manila. We began to realize, this may not be a single attack.”

Suzaku shifted in his chair. “I went to Manila as part of a humanitarian effort to try to help those wounded. The Philippine Islands had been contested territory between the Chinese Federation and Japan for so long that we knew its resources were depleted. It was the first time I saw those in the Chinese Federation helping out. We worked side by side-”

Out of the corner of Lelouch's eye, he saw video footage being played over Suzaku's narrative and realized it was eyewitness footage of Manila itself. Some of the parts were blurred out to preserve the dignity of the deceased, but the destruction Hundun had left behind was clear.

“-for the first time. Our countries calling a cease fire to help those less fortunate. I began to realize that Britannia was in the same position. Hurting the same way. I didn't want to see anymore people hurting so I joined when it was allowed. I wanted to fight. I wanted to prevent anymore people from needlessly dying if there was the means and the way. It didn't matter who they were, or where they came from. We were all suffering together.”

“Suzaku, could Hundun and Manila be called your crucible?” Reinberg followed up.

Suzaku shook his head. “No. Onibaba was my crucible.”

Lelouch lifted his head a little and stared at Suzaku. His friend met his gaze and the barest hint of a nod was seen. The corner of Lelouch's lips twitched in a comforting smile before he returned the nod. Suzaku knew what he was doing by revealing that particular truth. He would use it and wield it like a finely honed blade with a precise cut.

But his answer had surprised the two talents and they leaned forward, hungry for his answer. “Can you elaborate?”

“We,” Suzaku gestured towards Lelouch and himself, “were already in training. We listened to the transmissions of the battle. Not so much a romantic view presented in news footage and the severity and the sacrifice we had signed ourselves up for was made very clear. Those of us who listened and watched that battle finally understood that the kaiju did not care for borders, boundaries, nationalities or ethnicity. They were going to kill us no matter what.”

Lelouch tried to suppress the smile on his face at Suzaku's brilliant twist of his answer from two nights ago.

There was a few seconds of silence for those watching and the talent to digest his answer before Davidson asked her next question. “So how did the two of you decide to become partners? You are a very unusual pairing. No relation, opposite sides of a cold war that has been going on for years, united by the common cause of the kaiju.”

“We're friends,” Lelouch took over easily, “the Academy groups everyone together with the effort for those who have never met say a person from Australia or China, or even Japan and other countries to get to know them. I'll admit there are some of those who want nothing to do with each other, but why alienate someone when they may be potentially Drift compatible?”

“Can you elaborate on that process?”

Lelouch inclined his head and gestured with a hand towards Suzaku. “Our class was approximately-” He deliberately glanced at his friend to let him chime in.

“-Four hundred...eighty...something? I can't remember the number Lelouch. You're better at the numbers than I am,” Suzaku easily caught his meaning and turned on the natural innocent charm he had.

Lelouch for his part returned the smile easily. “Let's call it four hundred. PPDC can figure out that number if you really want,” he added. He was going to get his chance to rib Schneizel when he could. “Our class started with four hundred. It produced four Jaeger pilots, two pilot pairs.”

He let the silence hang for a second. “Now imagine ignoring say...half of your classmates just because they're not your nationality or ethnicity. Your odds of finding a pilot pair have just gotten astronomical.”

Davidson nodded but pointed a pen at him. “I do have to at least counter that argument. The other pilot pair that graduated are Margrave Gottwald and Lieutenant, or rather Knight-Lieutenant Nu. Britannians.”

“That is true,” he conceded the point, “but do we want to bank on each graduating class with that kind of rate? If we look at the last two graduating classes, only perhaps one or two of the class were full Britannian pairs. The rest, from other countries that want to help in this war. We're all in this together.”

“So do you hope that the next one has mixed pairs such as yourself?”

“It may not be easy to put away old prejudices and rivalries, but for us,” Lelouch gestured towards Suzaku and himself again, “we found common ground. We're equals.”

Davidson's eyes widened as did Reinberg. Even the stage director gasped. Lelouch kept his expression simple and waited for the inevitable fallout. He could feel a humorous hum from Suzaku in their shared bond and suspected that his best friend had aped his expression in the exact same manner.

Reinberg was the first to recover. “A-Are...you saying...”

“I'm not a prince anymore, Mr. Reinberg,” he said, “and as far as I know, I am an ordinary Britannian citizen. When I underwent Ranger training, I came out in equal rank to Suzaku. We both are civilians. We hold no titles nor military ranks.”

“Yes but-”

“I'd advise you, and perhaps those with the same thoughts, that I am no longer Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince and Seventeenth in line to the imperial throne,” he drew himself up coldly. “I am simply, Lelouch Lamperouge, Ranger of the PPDC and equal partners with my fellow Ranger, Suzaku Kururugi.”

* * *

Milly apparently tried to call him seventeen times after that particular sound bite. Lelouch ignored her calls each time, mainly because he was technically on a goodwill tour of the factories in the east, but also because he really did not want to know how social media was trending with their interview until later. It wasn't until he and Suzaku were back in the air flying to Anchorage – on Schneizel's private jet again because Angela was notified there was a mob waiting for them at the airport for their original chartered flight – that he finally decided to answer Milly's eighteenth call.

Angela and David were returning on a commercial flight to Pendragon Shatterdome where Angela would then take another flight back to Australia, her job done. David would be processed out of Pendragon and headed up to Anchorage shortly. Lelouch already missed the competent woman that had guided them through the Britannian leg of the media tour with a deftness and kindness that he appreciated. She treated them in equal measure. He would have to find out if there was a chance she could become their permanent PR liaison after Gipsy Danger officially launched.

“FINALLY!” Milly all but screamed as he clicked the talk button. At the same time, he activated the listening device, hoping that he wasn't jamming up any of the jet's instruments. A quick glance at the door to the cockpit did not seem to indicate that the device was affecting the jet.

“Milly,” he greeted flatly. “Trying to get some sleep here? You know...time zones and everything-”

“Who cares about that! You two- Suzaku I know you're there, stop being so quiet,” Milly all but admonished.

“ _Hai, hai_ ,” Suzaku replied in Japanese, but even Lelouch could see his partner was exhausted. He had draped a blanket over himself and was sleepily looking at Lelouch with tired green eyes.

“Don't ' _hai, hai_ ' me like I'm some kind of _obaasan_ , eesh,” Milly groused and Lelouch chuckled quietly. Suzaku gave a sleepy smile in return.

“Milly, seriously. What is it? We're really tired,” Lelouch sighed. He absently kicked Suzaku's leg as they sat across from each other. Their seats were almost all the way reclined, with only the upper body and head portion of the seats lifted up. He felt a kick in return.

“I found out from one of the techs that your interview crashed the PPDC application website for Jaeger Academy,” Milly sounded absolutely gleeful.

“Wow...so Schneizel and the Board of Governors need new servers, great,” he replied, “Milly-”

“And the two of you are breaking the Britannian internet into tiny little pieces. You both are now trending equally. The ladies absolutely love your whole ice-cold Prince thing. Hashtag rebel prince is a trending marker. Across the pond, Suzaku the Japanese are in awe of what you said about Manila and Onibaba. It's gotten to the point where the Diet is discussing funding another Shatterdome, this one in Nagasaki to make sure Japan is really protected.”

Lelouch turned to see Suzaku sitting up a little, more awake now. “What...?”

“Oh yeah,” Lelouch could almost imagine her nodding. “Your words just galvanized the Japanese people to fund another Shatterdome. Suzaku Kururugi, don't discount your own influence as the son of the Prime Minister.”

Something in Suzaku seemed to wither at Milly's words and Lelouch felt a pang of sympathy. No one else knew about his best friend's...home life except for Tohdoh and Nagisa. In this case, it should have been a proud statement, but instead it was the opposite with Suzaku. He was glad Milly couldn't see them.

“The Gages are working with security here in Anchorage to prevent what's more than likely going to be a bunch of eager Jaeger Flies mobbing the Shatterdome.”

“Oh no,” Lelouch hung his head and out of the corner of it saw Suzaku pale a little. The incident with the Jaeger Fly and spiked drink still haunted them even though it had been a month since that incident.

“Yeah. We're keeping an eye on the personnel here too. New security protocols are going into effect tomorrow. If you don't have your badges visible, you can't be in the Shatterdome.”

“I would apologize, but I'm blaming Schneizel on this,” Lelouch said. Milly laughed.

“I know. All right, you're clearly tired if you're apologizing Lelouch Lamperouge. Go to sleep. We'll talk to you two when you land later today.” She hung up.

Lelouch pocketed his phone and shut the device off. He placed it in his other pocket and sighed. A quick glance at Suzaku told him that his friend was very close to nodding off, but was valiantly trying to keep his eyes open. Lelouch could feel Suzaku's sleepy worried state slowly fading as exhaustion took over and hoped that his partner felt the feeling of protectiveness wash over before he was completely under. Apparently the message was received as Suzaku smiled briefly before completely falling fast asleep.

Lelouch settled into his own chair, pulling the blankets up to his chin before also following suit. The Britannian media circus was finally done.


	4. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part IV

They landed to minimal fanfare and the Gage twins escorting them straight into a briefing room at the nearly-completed Anchorage Shatterdome. There they were congratulated by Schneizel on a job well done. Lelouch smirked at the veiled references that his brother had a slightly bigger headache to deal with now that they actually blasted past expectations to provide some positive message for the PPDC. His brother reported that the Board of Governors as well as the local Shatterdome commanders – including those who had just been approved by various countries' budgets to build – were amenable to housing Jaegers no matter what 'country' their pilots came from or where the machine was built.

It looked like Tohdoh was getting his wish granted.

Schneizel now had a new set of amended agreements to start dealing with to ensure that local customs were met or criteria for transferring Jaegers and so forth. Lelouch did not envy his brother's newfound resources and problems.

“So does that mean we can cancel the Japanese leg of the media tour?” Suzaku asked politely.

“Unfortunately no,” Schneizel replied with a smile that was meant to be sympathetic, but all Lelouch saw was teeth. This was Schneizel's subtle revenge. “In fact, the anticipation of both of your arrival to Japan is at an all time high. Your countrymen want to see you, Ranger Kururugi. In fact, dare I say the way you've been trending in Britannia is similar to how Lelouch is trending in Japan.” He tilted his head. “Good for public relations.”

“Can we have Angela Hansen assigned to us again?”

“Mrs. Hansen is unfortunately not available. She's moved to her next assignment to help the pilots of Lucky Seven and promote the Sydney Shatterdome construction efforts in her home country. I have assigned Ranger Kaori Jessop though to be your liaison when you leave in a week. Tacit Ronin has been assigned to Tokyo Shatterdome and Ranger D'Onofrio has been assigned to train the recruits at the Academy in the Jessops' stead.”

Lelouch and Suzaku nodded, disappointed, but understanding that in a week, Term 2 would have started for the B class when they returned. They ended the conversation with Schneizel and were shown to their new room in the Shatterdome. It was a lot bigger than the rooms in the Academy and to their delight, their bags had been transferred over too. The thing that really surprised Lelouch was the inclusion of a full-size bed instead of two bunk beds.

When asked, the Gages merely shrugged with the same attitude that had led them to give Lelouch a bug diffuser along with the previous advice of booking single rooms next to each other. The twins left them with only orders to report to the briefing room at 1600. Lelouch had to chalk it up to some kind of twin thing or even perhaps the fact that the Gages were very well-versed in the unspoken creed between unrelated Ranger pairs – after all, they were the ones who answered those questions before the start of Term 3.

Either way, Lelouch appreciated their discretion as he and Suzaku wasted no time getting reacquainted with one another. Suzaku teased him mercilessly with the bites promised two nights ago. Lelouch learned another new lesson from his generous lover; how much he could tolerate being teased until he completely lost it and came apart. He had tried to reciprocate, but Suzaku had been so thorough in his ministrations that all Lelouch could do was just enjoy how the sex felt this time around.

In the afterglow, he had sleepily wondered if his lover had been okay with the lack of reciprocation only to be reassured that it was fine and Suzaku got his own pleasure out of it. They woke up later in the afternoon, cleaning themselves – the shower the same exact size as the one in the dorms – and unpacked their belongings.

Lelouch discovered the kitchenette and immediately threw away what passed as a coffee machine among the items in the kitchen. He placed an order for a Nespresso machine  _ and _ a pour over contraption along with an automatic 30-bean style grinder. If he was going to enjoy coffee in his own little domicile, then he was going to  _ enjoy _ really good coffee. The Nespresso would be for any Red Alerts or quick action days.

As an afterthought, he brought a tea maker that could be attached to the pour-over he had brought. While he disliked tea, except for some of the Britannian ones, he knew at least Suzaku could enjoy something. A small refrigerator had a couple of water bottles in it, but it was small enough to hold some fruit and maybe some other types of drinks. Not enough for him to make use of the single induction cooktop that came with the small kitchenette.

Suzaku came out of the shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist and draped himself over Lelouch's back as he bustled around the small kitchenette, checking out the pots and pans left for them.

“I forgot that you knew how to cook,” his lover murmured. His voice was rough. Lelouch turned his head slightly to see that Suzaku's cheeks were a little more flushed than normal. He grinned in return and pecked his partner's cheek. He didn't need to know how Suzaku had made sure he himself was satisfied after his mostly one-sided lovemaking.

“I cooked while we were in Hawai'i, remember? Though I did trade days with Sayoko. Didn't want her to do all of the work,” he replied. He glanced back at the contented sigh that blew a puff of air against his ears. “You cleaned?”

“Of course,” Suzaku rolled his eyes, pushing himself off of his shoulder. He wandered over to their dresser and put on his clothes.

Lelouch turned back around to shove the pots and pans back, satisfied that he only had to throw out a useless coffee pot and and oddly left dutch oven. There was no oven in the kitchenette so why would someone pack a dutch oven into the two shelves was beyond him.

“You're going to cook?” Suzaku asked, his voice muffled as he slung on the PT clothing. “Okay, I like PT clothes...”

Lelouch chuckled as he caught the exaggerated happy smile on his friend's face. “You just hate the dress blues. And maybe. Not sure. Storage space and fridge is small. I'm used to using a lot of ingredients and we don't have that much space. So...maybe? If we can find something.”

“Er, why is there a coffee pot and maker in the garbage?” Suzaku had moved to go back to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

“Because that's shit,” Lelouch replied. He held up his PDA. “I'm getting a personal pour-over with tea making attachment, grinder for beans and a Nespresso for emergencies.”

“Are we allowed-”

“We're Rangers,” Lelouch honestly did not know whether or not personal items were allowed, but he would bring it up with Schneizel if that was the case. He knew he was being a brat about it, but he supposed some minor creature comforts was worth the trade-off of being one of the few people in the world to pilot a two-hundred fifty something feet high war machine.

Suzaku merely grunted in between his brush and toothpaste before he went back to brushing his teeth. He finished a few minutes later and stuck his head back out. “Hey Lelouch?”

“Hmm?” Lelouch pulled open a small drawer that was the one and only end table. It was small enough to hold a few things and he supposed it would be a good place to hide the bug diffuser and his mother's  _ gom jabbar  _ while he was on base. He deposited the two items in the drawer, before reaching into his duffel bag and pulling out some odds and ends like his wallet and some wads of cash. Scattering it on top, he decided it would have to be enough for now until he could dig a small hidden compartment inside it to keep the two things safe.

“Where's the briefing room that the Gages wanted us at?”

Lelouch froze. The feeling of dread passed through the two of them before the scrambled to finish what they were doing and rushed out of their room in search of the briefing room the Gages had told him earlier in the morning. He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was nearly 1600.

The Shatterdome was huge.

Lelouch counted at least ten Jaeger launch bays when they stumbled into the cavernous hanger bay. They saw Romeo Blue standing in one of them, but another was nearby, clearly half-assembled, but covered in tarps and was being worked on. They both knew at once that it was  _ their  _ Jager – Gipsy Danger.

“Hey...you're not supposed to be here!” Euphie's voice called out to them and they wrenched their gazes from the pieces of their Jaeger to see her marching towards them, wearing dark blue coveralls.

“Hi Euphie,” Suzaku's smile was wide and bright and he looked happy to see her.

“Suzaku, Lelouch, welcome back,” she greeted them before planting her hands on her hips. “But you guys shouldn't be here. Shoo! Shoo!” She made a motion with her hands for them to go back the way they came from.

“But-” Lelouch looked to turn back before Euphie grabbed his shoulder and forcibly turned him back.

“Nuh-uh,” she shook her head, her pink tresses gently whipping at their faces. “It's bad luck for pilots to see their Jaegers before they're completed. Now shoo!”

“Yeah but-”

“Euphie, do you know where the Gages are? They said they were going to meet us in the briefing room?” Suzaku asked hastily as she marched them out. The bay doors closed behind them with a decisive clanging noise, cutting off the sounds of construction and grinding metals.

“I think so. Briefing at 1600?”

“Yeah...”

“Yeah, I'm supposed to be there too. Just managed to pull myself away working on the technical specs of your Jaeger,” Euphie smiled up at them. “It's an introduction to your team, pilots. All of the main players and heads of the various branches. You'll also get a formal introduction to your Jaeger, through specs of course.”

She led them through the maze to the proper briefing room, which turned out to be a war room. They found the twins already inside chatting with a rather plain looking woman. She had shoulder-length brown hair, tied back into a simple ponytail. Her square jaw did nothing for her profile, but she did have rather striking light blue eyes that looked a little like ice crystals. She was dressed in a rather formless dark blue coveralls, but there was a blazing emblem of stylized typefont across her back [Romeo Blue].

“Hey, there they are!” Trevin, or Bruce, Lelouch still couldn't tell the Gage twins apart even after working with them for a few months, waved at then entrance.

“You found them Euphie?” the woman asked and Lelouch saw her name bar [O'Neill] over the left side of her coverall pocket.

“Hi Amanda, yes,” Euphie nodded. “Caught them trying to sneak a peek at Gipsy.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Amanda's face crinkled into one of consternation as she shook her head. “You kicked them out, yeah?”

“Yup,” Euphie looked proud before she gestured towards Amanda and addressed him and Suzaku. “Guys, this is Amanda O'Neill, my trainer and also Romeo Blue's J-Tech Chief.” She turned back to Amanda, “Amanda, Gipsy Danger, Rangers Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi.”

Amanda cheered before lifting her hand up in a high five that Euphie returned. “Now that's the proper way to introduce your pilots!”

Lelouch was a little baffled, but glancing over at the twins saw them roll their eyes, apparently used to whatever antics their J-Tech Chief was teaching Euphie. He caught Suzaku also raising an eyebrow and was glad he wasn't the only one who was confused.

“Bruce, Trev, they're as bad as the two of you, trying to get a sneak peek,” Amanda shook her head as she smiled. “Boys and their toys...”

“So, we're not the first ones to do that?” Suzaku asked as they stepped further into the room. They could hear more people coming down the hall, no doubt also for the meeting.

One of the twins – Bruce, Lelouch supposed – grinned. “Nope. It's up to the Tech Chiefs to keep it under wraps. I have no idea why, but it's like getting a new Knightmare or something like that. Gotta do a proper debut. I think it's a holdover from the old war days where fighter bombers were unveiled and blessed. If seen any earlier, supposedly a curse or something.”

“So what's with the introduction then?” Lelouch asked as he took a seat near the twins who moved to stand near the front. Euphie sat to his left, next to her trainer.

“J-Tech Chiefs get the opportunity to introduce their Jagers to visiting dignitaries and visiting LOCENT crews since they come around to observe more often than not. We've come up with our own traditions to do Jaeger-Pilot introductions that puts an emphasis on the Jaeger as if it was a real creature since the two pilots are its brains,” Amanda explained.

“Oh, so this is where that briefing room is,” Lelouch saw Shirley and a few others, Ohgi included wander in. He felt a little relieved that he and Suzaku weren't the only one who were baffled by the vaguely worded briefing room the Gages spoke of.

“Seriously, Trev? You told everyone briefing room?” Amanda gave a sideways glance at one of the twins who shrugged.

“Gotta get used to a Shatterdome. Don't have time to call it War Room or Briefing Room number, er, what's this one?”

“4-56BR,” Bruce supplied as he crouched down underneath a podium again, fiddling with something. “Argh, the techs fucked up the wiring on this thing. Geez. It's as bad as that one time someone messed up my Knightmare's controls and forgot about the reverse Y-axis!”

“Ugh, all right, Bruce, shove over. Lemme take a look,” Amanda got up from her chair and crouched at the podium as the other twin moved to the side, holding what looked like several wires.

Trevin merely looked at the two before sitting in the chair that Amanda had vacated, only for Lelouch to raise a silent eyebrow at him. The twin was sitting  _ next _ to Euphie and he distinctly remembered what had been told to him of the graduation night.

“Stop it,” Suzaku hissed with a jab to his side.

Lelouch turned his slight irritated look to his partner who shook his head. He thinned his lips, about to protest as to why he really did not want one of the twins sitting next to his half-sister for a whole lot of reasons before Suzaku shook his head again. The distinct feeling of  _ not now _ was clear in their bond before Suzaku canted his head slightly towards more and more people filling the room.

Lelouch huffed an irritated sigh and decided to let it go for now. He did not miss the slight brush of Suzaku tugging at his collar to say that they would talk about it later – somewhere up high and in private. Ever since teaching him the basics of the hand signals he and Euphie had used when they were young, Suzaku had taken to them like a duck in water. It was handy really, conveying an added layer to the impressions and feelings they had through their bond.

“Got it, yes!” Bruce's head popped out from under the podium before stood up and brushed himself off. At the same time, the lights dimmed as someone reached out to close the door and everyone pushed themselves back a little bit as the  _ table _ they all sat around started to glow.

Holographic projections popped up, similar to when Cornelia had created a miniature LOCENT in the bunker they had all been evacuated to during Onibaba's attack three months ago. The most distinctive thing to show up was a map of the Pacific rim, and little dots at certain points of landmass. Lelouch recognized Pendragon Palace listed and near there, the Shatterdome. Across the vast ocean was one marking Hong Kong city and its Shatterdome. He looked north and saw Japan with a winking light indicating Tokyo's Shatterdome which was still being constructed. Further north and east was one that marked Jaeger Academy and near by in Anchorage, the Shatterdome they sat in.

“All right,” Bruce started, clasping his hands together as Amanda moved past him, pulling another chair to sit in next to Trevin. “Thanks everyone for finding your way here. For those who don't know, I'm Bruce Gage and that's my twin, Trevin. The lovely lady next to him – no not the pink-haired Princess, though she is a sweetheart – is our J-Tech Chief, Amanda O'Neill.”

“The first lesson of any Shatterdome – don't memorize the room numbers. How many of you asked others how to get here?”

A few hands rose up and Lelouch shrugged as he put his own hand up as did Suzaku. Bruce smiled. “Good, because Shatterdomes are naturally huge. For the various departments you'll be working in, you'll have certain sections you'll gravitate towards and use frequently. You'll start to refer to those by their nicknames which no one else outside of your area will know. That's the key. The bureaucrats put room numbers on these places, expecting us to remember, but the best way to learn the place is to ask people. Also – good lesson in communication and getting to know others in the departments.”

There was a slight twitter of laughter among the group as they lowered their hands. Lelouch thought it was pretty useful advice – it forced people to get to know others instead of relying on a system that was mired in bureaucracy. Pretty consistent with the PPDC mandate of uniting the people behind one cause no matter race, color or creed.

“For some of you, you've been here for about a month or just a little under it now. Most of you just graduated with the 2016-A class, so congratulations. Some of you transferred from other Shatterdomes or were hired by our recruiters for your expertise in certain fields,” Bruce continued. “We normally would have had this meeting earlier except, well, two key components were missing. Your brain is now back so we're having this meeting.”

Another twitter of laughter, this time a lot more relaxed ran through and Lelouch saw more than one pair of eyes glance at him and Suzaku. He kept his expression neutral though he did like the added humor the Gages were throwing into the meeting. It helped relax those he did not recognize though the ones he did, he saw were valiantly trying not to laugh too hard at their expense.

“I'm sure all of you need no introduction to your pilots, but we should congratulate them on their first successful leg of the media tour,” Bruce grinned clapping politely, “and knocking us off of the podium for poster boys of the PPDC too.”

This time there was a burst of laughter and Lelouch sent a mock glare to the twin before shooting a look at Milly's wolf whistle.

“Really?” he shook his head.

“Come on! You guys were trending- er,” Milly glanced at her PDA, “still trending right now!”

“Yes, well moving on from that,” Bruce held up his hands to take control back before Milly could speak again. “We'd like to take this opportunity for you to get to know one another since you'll all be shadowing and training as a team from this week forward. Everything you've learned in the Academy or in other Shatterdomes will be put to use as you all learn to move forward as a team.

“The rest of the Romeo Blue team be overseeing and coordinating this portion for the next few months to get you acclimated, put you through scenarios, and get you guys all settled into Shatterdome life.”

Lelouch finally understood why Romeo Blue had been assigned to Anchorage with them. It was probably the same for Vincent Gloucester with Cornelia and Guilford mentoring and training up Jeremiah and Villeta's Siegfried Kai's team. Academy training had prepared them to work in their individual capacities, but there was still a lot they had to learn once they graduated. Now they would truly become a team under Gipsy Danger.

“So, to that end,” Amanda spoke up as she stood up and traded spots with Bruce. He plopped down into the chair she had recently vacated, seemingly deliberately rolling it into his brother's own chair before settling. “I'd like you to introduce yourselves to the others in the room and your department if you will. Feel free to add what is it you do if you think it needs further clarification.”

With that, Lelouch and Suzaku learned that Milly, while not piloting their lead Jumphawk – Jumper Prime – she was in charge of formation and drop points. Rivalz was in the same Jumphawk crew as her, but in charge of technical and weather related issues as well as lead spotter for incoming kaiju when they were engaged in any zone with water.

Shirley was their lead drivesuit technician, something that she had valiantly tried not to blush pink about, but managed to stutter through. She was also in charge of the medical-related fields to drivesuit if damaged or in elements like water or electrical discharges from the conn-pod. While not an official part of the medical team of the Shatterdome – that was a man by the name of Dr. Takeshi Elund – she was to be consulted if it was related to their drivesuits.

Ohgi was in LOCENT monitoring their vitals and handshake, part of Euphie's team to feed her all the necessary information. He would also rotate out with her as J-Tech Chief in cases of long Red Alerts or if Euphie became incapacitated in any shape or form. Shinichiro Tamaki, Kento Sugiyama, Yoshitaka Minami, Naomi Inoue, and Toru Yoshida were all a part of Euphie's LOCENT team, each one of them handling the technical aspects, physical and medical aspects of running a Jaeger as well as monitoring pilot vital signs.

Lelouch knew that all of them, except for Euphie, had been aiming to join Kallen and Naoto's team before everything that happened. However, they didn't seem too bothered that they had moved to Gipsy Danger, though he could feel a warm sense of camaraderie from Suzaku towards his fellow Japanese. It also spoke to their willingness to have Euphie as their leader in LOCENT as well as Euphie's astuteness to pick Ohgi as her Deputy J-Tech Chief. He could already tell that if they were ever posted to Pendragon Shatterdome, things were going to be rather interesting.

Once introductions were over, Trevin moved to activate the map and up sprang a digital projection of a Jaeger with the name [GIPSY DANGER] emblazoned next to it. Her statistics and armaments popped up next to her, but Lelouch found his eyes riveted to the digital form of the Mark III that was to be his and Suzaku's.

Bruce chuckled as did Trevin and the barely held back 'awww' from Amanda was not enough to make him move his eyes from his first time looking at his- their Jaeger.

She was beautiful.

Gipsy Danger evoked an old Britannian war bomber design with her smooth plated chest that housed her core. Flaps, sticking up from the back like a high-necked cloak protected her snub-nosed head. She was weighted for a stance that was loose and versatile judging by the joints and the curvature of both her arms and legs. Perfect for him and Suzaku considering they both liked to take advantage of any opening they got. She would be nimble in their hands. Or rather, they would make her nimble.

Suddenly Gipsy's imagery was replaced by a series of floating text lines and holographic images of her armaments. Lelouch blinked, seemingly coming out of a trance of sorts and heard some laughter from the room. He shot a glance at Milly and the others and saw them trying to hide their laughter behind their hands.

“It's fun seeing pilots actually falling in love with their Jaegers,” Amanda grinned at them. “But, we actually do have a purpose here. The two of you can drool over her later.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suzaku blush a little and shot a slightly annoyed look at Amanda.

She merely ignored his look and instead pointed towards the armaments. “Note that Gipsy had two I-19 plasmacasters. These are upgrades from the ones Coyote Tango uses. Crank shots that fire plasma via charged carrier rails. This will wound the kaiju and cauterize some of the blood so it's not spreading everywhere.”

Amanda fired up the next hologram, sending the model of Gipsy towards her back. “Two rear jets enable you to propel yourself if necessary towards the enemy or away from them. There are limited uses for your jets so, be careful with the fuel load.”

Gipsy spun again and showed off her elbow joints and legs. “She also possess the latest 98BD/Hyper-Torque Drives, based off of the prototype Knightmare frame models that Dr. Asplund's been experimenting with. Speed increase per muscle strand for locomotion in your arms and legs. We have the 10KT/Gyro-Stabilizers which allow for smoother bipedal motion and stabilize any running motion. However, because of the density in which your muscle strands will work with the stabilizers, she will move, but because she is iron alloy – she is heavier then Tacit Ronin and so your speed is somewhat limited.”

The last holographic projection went to hone in on the Jaeger's elbows. “Like all Jaegers currently being built, she does have an experimental weapon in her that the PPDC wants to see if it'll work. This one is a little simple, but it's perfect for her specs. She carries an additional power booster, a rocket if you will on both of her elbows.”

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. He did not need to know that Suzaku did the same. They both had the same thought running through their heads: some kaiju was going to have a bad day if they got hit with that elbow rocket activated. He grinned.

Amanda laughed. “You boys already have ideas.”

“Yes,” Suzaku unabashedly nodded. “Lots of them. Most of them involving smashing a kaiju's face in.”

The room laughed at the sheer simplistic enthusiasm Suzaku had spoken with and even the Gages chuckled.

“Well, I'm glad for you, but I do have to caution, there is a reason why it's experimental. We're not sure how much torque Gipsy can take if it activates or uses them multiple times. There is a high chance that using it more than once will rip her arm off. If that happens, you  _ will _ get a feedback and it won't be pretty,” Amanda cautioned and the smile faded from Lelouch's lips as he and Suzaku nodded.

Lelouch tilted his head a little as something occurred to him. “Amanda, er-”

“Amanda's fine, we're all adults here. No need to get so formal like Ms. or Instructor,” she replied.

“It seems like Gipsy was built  _ for _ Suzaku and myself. She's balanced, one offense, one defensive weapon with armor and speed not as fast or light as Tacit, but not as heavy as Cherno. Are Jaegers all built for their pilots instead of to spec?”

“Trev you owe Euphie five dollars now,” Bruce muttered, “pay the princess.”

Lelouch sighed and rubbed his eyebrow. The whole betting was  _ really _ getting out of hand if he had his way. He sighed. “Should I even...?” He felt Suzaku pat him gently on the back consolingly.

“Oh, now I get the reason why,” Amanda nodded as she and Euphie shared a look before she turned back to him. “Actually yes.”

Everyone except for the Gages perked up at her answer. Lelouch was a little surprised, but it made the most sense.

“Your Term 1 grades are important for partially this reason. Whatever you score the highest on, the technicians start taking note for each student that passes. This is also why candidates are tested for Drift compatibility in the middle of Term 2 instead of towards the end. The scores of those who show promise together are given to the various Jaeger design teams around the world. It's more obvious if it's from certain countries – so like Coyote Tango, Japanese designers for Japanese pilots and so forth. While Term 2 does show promising compatibility, Term 3 is where the designs are looked more closely and go through the finalization process. Some candidates do fail out of Term 3 so those Jaeger designs are shelved, but not destroyed as there may be a similar pair that could use the design in the future.”

Amanda gestured to the twins. “For instance, Bruce and Trevin scored high on K-Science, because they are able to pick out weaknesses in kaiju rather easily. It continued in their simulator scores. Granted, they also had the advantage of Knightmare sniper background to help, so Romeo Blue is built for long-range, but with limited short-range capability if necessary. The short-range is a holdover of Knightmare technology so there is no crippling overspecialization.”

“Tacit Ronin is built for speed. Kaori Jessop out ran  _ everyone _ in our class as a sprinter. Maybe not for long distance running, but she was fast. Hence, when Tacit was designed, they designed it for speed to allow for quick strikes. The trade off is the lighter armor, but they hope that Duc's proficiency in close-quarter-combat would offset some of the damage and combine it with the Jaeger bushido parts of quick strike, it would take out the kaiju in that sense.”

Amanda smiled at him. “Gipsy is balanced to suit your fighting style. Close, but not far. Also, we all know of Suzaku's legendary Term 1 physical test, so your designer hoped it would be of use for prolonged battles.”

“Amanda, I do have to say that I'm surprised that Britannia decided to build Gipsy to spec,” Ohgi spoke up. “I mean with the Britannian sentiment before the media tour-”

“Well, you can thank Dr. Asplund for the design then,” Amanda said before she added cheekily, “I did hear he wanted to recruit you, Lelouch. Maybe it's his way of asking again?”

“No thank you,” Lelouch waved an airy hand as the room laughed.

The table was shut off soon after as the briefing was over. Lelouch caught a thumb drive tossed over to him by Amanda. “Here you go boys. Pretty as she comes. Study her.”

“Simulators starting tomorrow,” Trevin spoke up, addressing everyone, “let your teams know. We're going through the motions with the simulators. That means drivesuit prep, Jumphawk simulators, everything all connected together. It'll be like the real thing. Report to the simulators at-”

“0900,” Bruce chimed in checking his PDA for a second.

“You heard him,” Trevin nodded. “Dismissed.”

“Sir,” they all replied as those in the room got up to leave. Lelouch stayed seated as did Suzaku and Euphie.

“Bruce, Trevin, what, uh...do we do now?” he asked. He was used to having a set schedule, but with nothing theoretically on his PDA, he wasn't exactly sure what they  _ should _ do.

Trevin smiled ruefully. “Well, you're not in a school structure anymore, Lamperouge. You set your own schedule except for the times we're asking people to be in the simulators. Technically we're supposed to have a Marshal here to at least help us with scheduling, but for now, we'll guide you through the first week before you guys have to leave again. But once you get used to it, and until your Jaeger is done, you and Suzaku lead your teammates. Simulators, time for them to study, time for them to relax, the whole works. The object is to make sure that you get to know them and they get to know you and you all work well when it does come time to do the real live thing.”

“Or,” Bruce shrugged. “You could leave it completely up to your J-Tech Chief here.” He smiled up at Amanda who whacked him lightly in the arm. “Ow.”

“I'm not your handler.”

“Amanda helped set our team's schedules when we were instructing at the Academy,” Bruce nodded towards Euphie. “Essentially J-Tech Chiefs are like second-in-commands if you want to look at the pilot pairs as co-commanders. Some times they're not. The Jessops run with Kaori in charge and Duc as second for the most part even though Duc is the dominant hemisphere. Kaori just has a better sense of organization. Cherno's also another unusual one. Akito definitely is subordinate to Leila and she sets all of the schedules.”

“Bruce and I tend to go even-keel for the most part. It's a twin thing,” Trevin mirrored his brother's shrug to an eerie degree. “Amanda helps translate.”

“So what does the Marshal do in this case?” Suzaku asked.

“Normally if you two wanted to coordinate something like practicing Jumphawk drops, you would be able to ask the Marshal to help facilitate that. Amount of fuel, cost percentage, etc. Practice rounds, your goals for this practice, also help coordinate time to do it. Weather can hamper drops unless you want to practice in some forms of it. A Marshal would be able to reach out to all needed personnel to do that fast. Since we don't have one here, well...it'll take a bit of wrangling, but that's why we're still on simulators. Easier to do right now.” Trevin seemed a little happy that it wasn't that big of a logistical headache yet.

“Are we supposed to get a Marshal here since the Shatterdome is almost complete?” Euphie asked.

“We are, but we haven't heard any rumblings from Prince Schneizel or the Board. They're usually the ones who approve the applicants and placements,” Bruce shook his head.

“Given our media tour, we gave him some more food for thought,” Lelouch replied with a slight smile. Revenge by tying Schneizel up in bureaucratic red tape was rather nice right now.

“Princess, remind me to plan some form of revenge prank against your brother here if we don't get a Marshal, a competent one, by the time Gipsy is fully constructed,” Trevin narrowed his eyes at Lelouch. Bruce was nodding in vigorous agreement.

“I will,” Euphie promised solemnly.

Lelouch merely shot them a look while Amanda rolled her eyes. He heard Suzaku sigh quietly behind him and could feel a bit of resignation bleed through their bond. He picked the thumb drive with the specs to Gipsy Danger and stared at it before looking at the twins. “What do you two suggest right now?”

They smiled. “Get to know your team leads. Granted, some of them you already do know, but get to know them in this context. Study your Jaeger, but get to know them.”

Lelouch nodded. It was sound advice. And the best way for it was food. He glanced at his watch. “Who's up for dinner?”

* * *

Lelouch rubbed his eyes as he blinked against the harsh lights of the holographic projection on his PDA. It was late at night already, the digital clock blinking for him to sleep. Or at least he thought it was, but he was too distracted studying Gipsy Danger's specs to really notice. He felt Suzaku's warm body shift next to him before his sleepy voice spoke up, muffled against his shirt.

“Lelouch, it's...twelve forty-five in the morning. You need to sleep. We can study Gipsy tomorrow at breakfast,” Suzaku muttered. He felt a hand try to lift up, but only got to his thigh under the blankets before fingers absently stroked it. “Come on...”

Lelouch grunted and enlarged a projection as he looked it over. He rubbed his eyes again before he finally sighed and snapped his PDA close. He heard a very muffled 'finally' from Suzaku as he set the PDA to the small end table and slid back down into the covers.

Suzaku immediately drew him towards him, cuddling him with his warmth, the hand that had been absently stroking his thigh now was resting on his hip. “You...let Rivalz win at poker tonight,” Suzaku yawned as Lelouch curled into him some more, letting him tuck his chin on top of his head.

“Getting to know the team again,” he replied, feeling content. “Game night seemed a good way.”

“I liked those nights...” Suzaku sounded really sleepy as his hand stopped its absent movement. “They were fun...”

“Do you remember the night were we both had busted on that hand?”

A sleepy chuckle answered his question and the vibrations from his voice sent a pleasant buzz through Lelouch. “Too funny...was trying to-to b-bluff you...that was after...our spar right?”

“Yeah.”

Suzaku made a humming noise. “I think...I loved you already then...” His voice trailed off before soft snores issued from his mouth and Lelouch smiled. He shifted a little more to make himself comfortable as he settled, closing his eyes and listening to his partner's heartbeat. He didn't know if he felt the same, but he knew he had been intrigued by him all the same.

He didn't sleep, but instead, let his thoughts drift. His life had dramatically changed in the last seven months. Or perhaps in the last nine months since he received the notification that he had passed the tests to attend Jaeger Academy. Lelouch was used to the upheaval his life had taken since the assassination attempt on his mother when he was ten. But this particular upheaval rivaled the one Trespasser had inflicted upon his family. But unlike the despair, terror and sorrow of the kaiju's attack, it was diametrically opposite. He had joy, love and warmth that he had only known in the first ten years of his life.

And if Lelouch was being truthful to himself, it scared him at times. Most of the time, his fear was contained, not in the Drift – that was the easiest place to find it and pretty silly at this point, everything was up for grabs in the Drift – but by his own will and sharpened like a fine point against enemies or problems at hand. But even points could dull and become unraveled from time to time.

It wasn't a fear of his relationship with Suzaku – however fast it had started or because the were really compatible. It was because he was afraid of its loss. He was scared to go back to the dark days of Trespasser, the realization that there was no one else except for himself and Nunnally. He didn't like that feeling. He didn't care what it brought out in him (white hot rage against kaiju and his enemies, including the Emperor in his mind), he didn't want to  _ feel _ in that sense.

Suzaku tempered it, helping him sharpen his fear, rage, happiness, joy and the subsequent emotions he felt. He was something that Lelouch did not know he was missing until now, curled in the dark of their room, listening to his best friend's heartbeat. He supposed the physicality of their friendship had come with it – he honestly had no opinion on the sex, but he did enjoy the times it had happened, especially their most recent session. He had wondered if his lover needed more from their relationship, more from their friendship, but all he had ever gotten so far was contentment across their bond and in their Drift.

That also scared him. How someone else could accept him in such a way and understand him in such a way that he was...happy. Lelouch knew he suffered no fools and could be cruel with his words. He was well aware of his own reputation, self and perception. He had to be – it was for survival in the royal courts. Yet, when he was with his partner, he could be all of it and Suzaku didn't bat an eye. In fact, he had even challenged him on occasion, especially just a couple of months ago in the early days of their partnership. Lelouch had a feeling that Suzaku had been challenging him since Day One, Term 1 of the Academy, perhaps even all those years ago when they first met on Oahu.

A soft whine of distress suddenly issued from Suzaku's mouth and Lelouch opened his eyes, tilting his head up to see his partner's lips in a frown. Lelouch turned back and closed his eyes, trying to let his own worries and thoughts drift away. He had worried too much and it got across their bond, disturbing Suzaku's sleep. He sighed as he cleared his mind by breathing deeply, letting the scent of his lover soothe him. His last thought before sleep took him was that he really did not deserve this, but he would not look a gift horse in the mouth for it.


	5. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part V

They worked hard for the rest of the week in the simulators, getting used to a virtual Gipsy Danger that had been built for them as they moved in the simulation room. Coordination was key as they learned on the first day as well as clear communication. The first two days was just getting used to the weight of their Jaeger – the simulators programmed with the exact torque and feel of Gipsy's conn-pod and harness for easier transition after she was built.

They also discovered that Shirley turned beet red each time they suited up in their drivesuits. While competent at job and duties in outfitting them without a hint of uncomfortable feelings passing between herself, her team and themselves, he did wonder why considering she had been training with others. Milly had only airily joked that it was because they were two very fine specimens of the male sex.

Milly was immediately given a public verbal warning by one of the Gages to stop her sexual harassment and innuendos in the subsequent team debrief. To everyone's surprise, the vivacious blonde actually stopped. Lelouch thought he had seen it all by then, the Gages actually managed to put a filter on Milly's occasional innuendo-laced commentary.

She still cracked jokes and was generally in good humor, but it seemed she took the warning seriously and it had been Rivalz who had whispered to Lelouch that it was because the Gages linked it to the Ranger Protocols that all were supposed to learn. Suzaku thought it was very smart of the Gages to do that and both of them appreciated on behalf of Shirley.

The day before they were set to leave for Japan, they managed to virtually move Gipsy around without much issue. It was also their first time learning how the Jumphawks and their formation were to take them out of the silo of their berth. The formation had scratched some of the paint and peel off a section of the metal arm of virtual Gipsy, leaving Suzaku with some minor burn feedback from the drivesuit.

Milly and Rivalz had apologized in that briefing with some red in their faces, but Suzaku had waved them off, saying that they had to experience the feedback pain at some point considering that they had not done so during their time in the Academy. Their drivesuits back at the Academy was hooked up more for generalization of Drifting than for actual neural feedback while doing battle simulations.

The briefing concluded with the Gages letting Lelouch and Suzaku take over for scheduling the team's operations for the next five days that they were gone as well as when they returned. Lelouch was caught off guard for a moment as Bruce vacated the podium and gestured for either he or Suzaku to step up to address their team. He glanced at his partner who shrugged. Suzaku was fine where they were and Lelouch silently agreed.

He instead, reached out to the war table and brought up a map of the Pacific rim again and saw the twins look at each other before leaning forward in their seats. However, Lelouch wasn't done as he brought up a weather and runoff overlay he had found in one of the latest email updates from K-Watch. He moved both over the main map.

“Milly, Rivalz,” he called out.

“Sup?”

“Have the Jumphawks practiced in various weather conditions and terrain?” he asked, studying the map.

“We have a couple of veteran pilots who are familiar with Jumphawks, but no action against kaiju with Jaegers involved if that's what you're asking.”

“Okay,” Lelouch rubbed his lower lip. “Have them practice using simulations for Anchorage terrain for the next five days. Then when we don't have group sims, I want them to be practicing using urban terrain – Tokyo is good one to start with because of all of the narrow buildings. Move to the South Britannian coastline where Lima is currently being built. Mountains have interesting wind shears and we need to make sure what the maximum capabilities are for Jumphawks.”

“Got it,” Milly smiled.

“Should we have them carry payloads like Jaegers yet?”

“Not yet, that's the second part of our schedule,” Lelouch made sure he emphasized _our_. “Euphie, Ohgi, have your team coordinate and work with the Jumphawks as if they were spotting kaiju and reactionary events. You can do it twice or three times from one city to another, your choice. Start again, with Anchorage since it's more familiar to us, but move to Tokyo, then Nagasaki, then down to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila and so forth. Work your way up the South Britannian coast to Pendragon and Seattle last, okay?”

“Lelouch, we've got some work we need to do with Gipsy, though. We were kind of putting it off until the two of you left,” Euphie spoke up a frown on her face.

“Oh,” he realized that he had forgotten to ask.

“Possible to be done once instead of the two or three times?” Suzaku asked. “Just to familiarize your team with the protocols?”

Euphie nodded as did Ohgi and the others. “Yes, that works better. Thanks. Ohgi, we'll schedule these sessions in the morning before we start work. That way it's fresh in everyone's minds.”

Lelouch saw Suzaku sit back and nod for him to continue. He turned to Shirley. “What's on your team's docket for the five days we're gone?”

“Dr. Lightcap wanted us to run a few environmental tests with the dummies, but we didn't have much to do,” Shirley said quietly.

“Run those then,” Lelouch frowned as he spun the map to a different angle before he set it back.

“You got an idea?” Suzaku prompted.

“Prediction,” he replied. “Anchorage had more runoff in the last few months because of the Shatterdome construction. But the currents weren't favorable then so Onibaba might have targeted the western sections of the rim. But since Tokyo Shatterdome is now in construction and soon Lima...”

“Currents would be favorable if a kaiju attacked,” for the first time since he had taken over the briefing one of the Gages spoke up. “We'll run that up the chain.”

Lelouch nodded before look up at the others. “When we get back, I would like to run a few scenarios with virtual Gipsy using the environment scenarios that your teams will be practicing with. Go with Anchorage scenario for a week's worth of practice then we move to Tokyo for another week and then to Lima.” He glanced at Euphie. “Can you coordinate the times for full runs and then follow ups and practices with team leads?”

“Will do,” Euphie nodded, making a note in her PDA.

He felt a slight pressure in his mind and glanced at Suzaku to see him also staring at the map intently. He was absently rubbing the part of his skin where the drivesuit had burned a small bit of feedback into it. “Trev, Bruce, can we program the simulators to give us random scenarios?”

“How so?” Bruce asked, curious.

“Say like, the one of the Jumphawks is disabled or something, or we're aiming for drop scenario and it doesn't release properly. Stuff like that. Like how you had us go through the kaiju fights in the various Jaegers. Each simulation had extrapolated data if we didn't hit certain markers or if we hit them earlier than expected.”

“So you want to link all of those into the LOCENT and Jumphawks' simulators?”

“Environmental damage too, to all surroundings. It won't just be a Jaeger that gets damaged. It could be Jumphawks all the way down to medics. Granted, getting a little feedback in the suit today was surprising, but it'll prepare the rest of the crew in case of scenarios like that.”

“Good point. We've been training like that for a while now, so we think we're prepared, but there's only so much that can be pre-programmed,” Rivalz piped up.

Lelouch nodded. It was a sound plan. It gave them the chance to experience somewhat actual feedback in their drivesuits if Gipsy was ever damaged, but also run through procedures and scenarios that could happen in a live battle. He glanced over to the Gages to see them nodding in agreement.

“All right, we'll set it up,” Trevin grinned. “Can we also steal your ideas Team Gipsy?”

“A little healthy competition never hurts,” Lelouch made sure his smile was all teeth at the Gage twin that apparently had danced with Euphie. He was rewarded with Trevin's smile faltering just a little as Bruce rolled his eyes next to him and elbowed his twin in the ribs.

Bruce took back control of the briefing to refine the rough scheduling that Lelouch and Suzaku had laid out, before dismissing everyone. He however, asked that the two of them stay while everyone else left. Lelouch had a feeling it was more for the Japanese leg of Schneizel's media tour than anything to do with what had been discussed.

Once everyone was out and the door closed firmly, one of the twins drew out a very familiar looking device and activated it. Lelouch grimaced and resisted the urge to rub his teeth as the device buzzed in between his molars. A sign that it was working.

“First, good job. A bit rough, a lot of things for your team to chew on, but just remember to give them breaks. They don't operate like the two of you-”

“Like Lelouch,” Suzaku cut in. “He wanted to stay up to study Gipsy earlier in the week.”

Lelouch shrugged. It wasn't his fault that he _liked_ studying and analyzing things. The twins though, chuckled lightly.

“Second, how sure are you about Tokyo under a second attack?” Trevin's gaze had turned sharp as did Bruce's.

“Fifty-fifty,” Lelouch replied honestly. “I didn't study as much about urban runoff, weather patterns and ocean currents as I wanted to after Term 1.”

“We'll still run it up the chain. For Tokyo's sake,” Bruce shook his head, “I really don't want it to be true.”

Lelouch did not need to look at Suzaku to know that his expression was quite closed. He had not felt any jolts of surprise or any strong emotional response from his partner after he had put forth his hypothesis. But he also knew that it did not mean Suzaku was comfortable with him throwing such a prediction in such a callous manner. He was all-too aware of what had happened when Onibaba had attacked back in May.

“We should make Schneizel aware of the Lima plans too,” Trevin tapped his lip for a second before shaking his head and blew out a noisy breath. “Thirdly, we have a message to pass along to the two of you by Tohdoh. He is strongly advising that you not bring the diffuser, at all. Your hotel rooms are booked next to each other per Ranger Protocols.”

Lelouch frowned, wrinkling his brow wondering why Tohdoh would give such a message. He turned to see Suzaku with a neutral expression on his face.

“Ah....” was all his partner said.

Lelouch was confused. And judging by the Gages' expression, they also did not understand.

“It can be construed as a cultural or rather, a way for the Japanese to point a finger and say they are different than Britannia if you want to look at it from that angle. Bug diffusers, if found on a person, are inherently a Britannian constructed thing. We think that the person is untrustworthy and is already hiding something. The use of one, or even not using it and just having it on a person, already colors another's opinion of them. What cannot be said unless its hidden should not be said at all. That's the basic meaning behind it.”

Suzaku sighed. “Then...there's _Tohdoh-sensei's_ reasoning and why he asked you to tell us those specific words.”

“You don't have to tell us, if you don't want to Suzaku,” Bruce shook his head. “We're not prying-”

“Might be better for you to know in case something does happen and you get caught up in it,” Suzaku grimaced and Lelouch had a sinking feeling he knew what this was really about and why Tohdoh said those words.

“I...” Suzaku grimaced for a second as he looked down at the powered-off war table. “I...broke my engagement. In between Term 2 and 3...that week.”

“Eh...doesn't sound so bad-”

“I left my bride at the altar,” Suzaku cut in.

Lelouch saw the twins sit back, an eerie mirror of double vision as both raised their eyebrows.

“Well...shit,” Trevin's voice was flat.

“Yeah,” Suzaku didn't look at any of them. “As far as I know, my father and the bride-to-be's family are keeping it under wraps. But that's a warning from _Tohdoh-sensei_ that _everything_ has to be perfect. That there is already a narrative set for me, if not for Lelouch, to follow when we leave tomorrow.”

It finally dawned on Lelouch what the narrative and Tohdoh's meaning was. They had rooms next to each other per Ranger Protocols, but they could not act like they had done during the Britannian media tour. No sneaking into the other's room, no sleeping together, they were to strictly appear as if they were not lovers and just partners, allies, equals. Someone had set Suzaku up so that this was a very carefully controlled image they wanted to present in light of what he had done back in that fateful week between Term 2 and 3.

No wonder Suzaku had hoped to cancel the Japanese leg of the media tour. Lelouch had taken his friend's meaning as one of mild exasperation and hope, but in light of this – it had another new context. Someone was trying to _control_ Suzaku's life as a PPDC Ranger in the eyes of the Japanese. And he had a very good idea of who it was.

“....Well...double shit,” Bruce echoed his twin's flat tone.

“You think Schneizel-”

“Don't involve him,” Lelouch immediately jumped in shaking his head.

“Lelouch?”

“Don't,” he warned. “You know as the Knights of Two what it means to ask a royal for a favor, right? All of the politics and the...game we play with each other?”

Both twins frowned. “We're aware. Schneizel told us about the Lohmeyer situation _after_ it had apparently been handled.”

“Don't. Schneizel can and will use information like this. He thrives on it. Lohmeyer was nothing. This...” he shook his head again. Suzaku was already under pressure from his father from afar. This could not go up the PPDC chain. He knew his older half-brother would probably be benevolent about it and nip it in the bud quickly, but it would also gain him a leverage Lelouch could never have hanging over his partner's head.

“Nobody told us that Japanese _politics_ are this complicated,” Trevin hung his head for a moment before looking back up. “What can we do to help?” His brother nodded eagerly.

Lelouch saw Suzaku smile a little before shaking his head. “As much as I appreciate the offer, and that you've been mentoring us, there's nothing you can do at the moment. It's all internal family politics. I'm just glad _Tohdoh-sensei_ was able to get that message out in the first place.”

Lelouch held his tongue. He desperately wanted to ask Suzaku what were the consequences if he defied Tohdoh's advice or even whatever narrative had been set for him. But it was too public of a place to talk about it, not even in front of the Gage twins. They were Britannian Knights. And even though Suzaku's words about his thanks to them reflected Lelouch's own thoughts, it was a very private matter.

Instead, a very disturbing, but perhaps not quite alien, thought occurred to him. “Is...there a chance that part of this media tour may be a cover for a wedding?”

The twins almost fell out of their seats in shock. But Suzaku tilted his head to the side as he considered the question. He shook his head after a few minutes. “No. Even Japan would not want to face the wrath of the whole world by doing as something distasteful as that while the media tour is for a Ranger pair.” He shrugged. “However, if it was for say for a pair that went public like Duc and _Kaori-san_...”

“Yeah I remember that one. Japanese media went apeshit. Australia was pretty chill about it,” one of the Gages said as they recovered from their shock. “I think the Japanese media were just pissed they didn't get to televise a live wedding during the Jessops' media tour which was a week before that.”

“That's probably why they did it Bruce,” Trevin had a crooked smile on his face. “The Japanese media were...I guess not so kind to Kaori is a nice way to say it.”

“I remember,” Suzaku nodded. “I felt sorry for her when I saw them tour. They were picking her apart for not being the perfect _Nadeshiko_ , even though she held the rank of Major. They were wondering how could someone so...brutish pilot a Jaeger. They were looking for her to be like a Tomoe Gozen or something. Iron lady of war. Not-”

“-A pint-sized ass-kicking whirlwind of destruction,” Trevin finished. “She translated that quote for me.”

“What's a Nades-” Lelouch couldn't quite handle the pronunciation.

“ _Yamato Nadeshiko_ ,” Suzaku said, his lips curling around the word rather nicely. “It's a little complicated, but basically, the aesthetic values of Japanese womanhood according to the eyes of the people, not necessarily through one gender, though it can be considered patriarchal because of our society. Iron will, but very subtle. Mostly a calm front, feminine dress and act-” He paused for a second before nodding. “Euphie. Euphie's similar in a way.”

Lelouch had a feeling he was still missing some component of this aspect of culture, but it seemed fair enough for a comparison about Euphie to the Japanese aesthetic. He sighed. “Is there anything we can do to counter whatever narrative they've set up for you or for me?”

“Not until we know more,” Suzaku shook his head. “The fact that _Tohdoh-sensei_ managed to get this warning out is better than nothing. We might have walked right into a narrative trap that would have been used to twist the media tour unfavorably towards the PPDC or even Britannia.”

Lelouch did not need to know that the unspoken words that it was Suzaku's father – who preached Japan's might over Britannia or any of its enemies – was looking more and more like the one who had set up this narrative for his son to obey or suffer consequences.

The twins sighed, looking dejected. “We're really sorry Suzaku. Seriously. Didn't realize what Tohdoh meant, but...now...”

Suzaku tried to smile, it looked like a grimace. “Thank you, at least for letting us know.”

“Well, get some rest you two. We'll see you guys back in five days and hopefully we can put it behind us all and focus on the more important stuff all right?” Trevin shut the device off and the four of them stood up.

They headed out of the war room, parting at the hallways, the twins towards the direction of Romeo Blue's hanger bay. Lelouch and Suzaku were left standing for a few minutes before they decided to go back to their room, questions pressing upon them after that bit of news from the Gages.

But as Lelouch closed the door behind him, he suddenly found himself pressed against the door, Suzaku insistent with his kisses and all thoughts of asking his friend any sort of questions went flying out of his head. They made love, Suzaku being oddly submissive instead of his usual aggressive teasing. It actually allowed Lelouch to learn where his lover liked being touched the best, the small noises that Suzaku made sending thrills deep into the primal part of him. By the end of their lovemaking, he felt like he finally gave something back to his partner.

Lelouch laid in Suzaku's lap in the aftermath, his lover absently carding through his hair as he sat against the bed's headboard. The heat was still cooling from their bodies and Lelouch was not exactly inclined to move, stretching contentedly like a cat as pulled a sheet up to cover himself and Suzaku's lap.

“What happens if you don't follow the narrative?” Lelouch asked, a finger tracing the muscles and beads of sweat on Suzaku's stomach. He felt him shudder and relax into the touch.

“...I don't know,” Suzaku replied quietly, his hand playing with the strands of Lelouch's hair. It felt nice. “My father...he's the one behind all of this. He's...not a man to be crossed. I...never tried, never really defied him, much. I think this is his way of revenge against my rebellion to marry Kaguya.”

“Your cousin?”

In the dimness of their room, Lelouch looked up to see Suzaku with a sad smile on his face. “I...don't think he would retaliate against me per se, but...you...” Green eyes looked down at him. One of the fingers that had been picking through Lelouch's hair suddenly traced down his face with a gentleness that surprised him. Suzaku leaned down kissed him on the lips. “He would probably hurt you to punish me. That's Tohdoh's warning...”

“Suzaku, I've survived assassination attempts, unseemly rumors, hell even a denunciation of my own family line. I'm pretty sure I can handle whatever your father decides to do to me if he's so against our partnership,” Lelouch frowned, staring up at his lover's eyes as his face hovered just above his own.

Suzaku dipped his face down again and landed a gentle kiss in between his eyes, seemingly trying to worry out the wrinkling of his brow. Against Lelouch's own attempts to keep the frown on his face, he lifted his own head to try to kiss him back, but was pushed down with a soft 'shh'.

“ _You_ survived, Lelouch,” Suzaku's voice rumbled above him. There was something about the way he always said his name whenever they had sex. His light accent seemingly rolled nicely off of the Ls and sent shivers down Lelouch's spine. “But you're not thinking of _me_. Of how I would feel if I actually saw something. If it happened to you when I can prevent it from happening.” He kissed him again, this time tracing it right down his nose and back onto his lip. “This partnership, this friendship is a two way street, remember?”

“Yes-” Lelouch felt his breath stutter as Suzaku captured his lips into his own with a long kiss. It left him breathless, wanting more when it ended. His lover obliged with another deeper one.

“So, you let me be myself, you let me try my hand. I followed your lead in Britannia...can you follow mine in this one?”

“I-”

Suzaku suddenly lifted his head a little higher, stopping his teasing kisses. His eyes were hooded and serious. “Lelouch,” he stared down at him. “This isn't like facing down the Emperor. I know how that felt. This is a battle that I must win, but in order to do that, I must be careful. I must be able to protect _you_. In a way, it's like the court politics that I know you engage in from a distance with your siblings. But this one...this one is just between my father and myself. No court, not courtiers, no siblings, no...game. This is between the two of us.”

Lelouch sighed as he leaned back against Suzaku's lap. “All right. I'll follow your lead on this one,” he agreed, closing his eyes for a second before opening them as he felt Suzaku's forehead touch his own for just a moment. He opened them again to see his lover with a soft smile on his face. The corner of Lelouch's lips quirked up before a thought occurred to him.

“Did you just negotiate with me just for sex?” He asked.

Suzaku's smile turned a little impish before he covered his mouth with his own. As they parted again the green-eyes sparkled with internal laughter. “I wouldn't think of doing such a thing,” Suzaku replied with several more kisses, each one tracing further down his body, drawing the covers away at the same time.

Lelouch only laughed lightly as he obliged the unspoken request and turned his mind to the more immediate matter of making sure his partner was satisfied again.

* * *

Major Kaori Jessop greeted them with perfunctory military precision as they landed in Japan. It was already night time when they landed, but she gave them a brief rundown of their three-day schedule that had been set out for them on the drive from the airport to their hotel.

“The Japanese media are apparently trying to one-up Britannia in this sense,” Kaori's expression was rather neutral, “but your first interview will also be a trip to visit what remains of Onibaba in Tokyo. It's been framed so the two of you will be interviewed in front of the Diet with the remnants of Tokyo Tower behind you and Onibaba's carcass.”

“A little harsh, but I can see why,” Suzaku frowned as he scrolled through his PDA. “Medical tents?”

“Of course. The people heard your words about Manila. It's expected for you to make a visit,” Kaori nodded once. “The onmyoji have already made a blessing with _Tohdoh-san_ there, so you won't be expected to make one, thankfully.”

Suzaku nodded before he paused in his scrolling. “Meeting with the Prime Minister and his cabinet afterwards for dinner?”

Kaori grimaced. “Unfortunately that one was insisted.”

Lelouch watched as Suzaku sighed and rubbed his eyebrow, clearly resigned. “Guess it can't be helped. Who put together this schedule?”

“ _Tohdoh-san_ , _Nagisa-san_ and myself. With the Board's approval. However, we also had to made accommodations considering...who you were,” the Japanese woman looked a little sympathetic. “Your father's asked for a family dinner the night before you leave.”

“Full family?”

“ _Tohdoh-san_ would have the details. He's been invited,” Kaori shook her head.

“...Shit,” Suzaku's fingers rapidly scrolled across the PDA and Lelouch looked down at his own to see that indeed, their third day listed only two things – an interview in the morning and a dinner at night.

“What's the afternoon?”

Their fellow Ranger smiled a little. “We figured we give you time to explore our homeland, Ranger Lamperouge. Pick up on some culture.”

“Dibs on ramen, no wait, street food,” the resigned mood immediately disappeared from Suzaku as he perked up. “And then going to the parks, but it's not cherry blossom season so parks will look like a park. But then we can visit my family's temple and shrine and you can see some of the old castles too-”

“ _Kururugi-kun_ , you only have maximum six, maybe seven hours-” Kaori's eyes had widened.

“Eh,” Suzaku shrugged as if it wasn't a problem. “Oh wait, maybe we'll stop by the coastline so you can see the beaches...”

Lelouch was a little amazed at how alive his partner had become with just the mention of a break. He had thought the child-like giddiness that he had seen when the two of them had found out that they were potentially getting a Mark III during the early days of Term 3 was just a fluke to lighten the somber mood back then, but now... He could _feel_ the enthusiasm in their bond, the sheer joy of having a moment to just not _be_ with his family and realized Suzaku's words about counting down days, counting down times to more pleasant things were quite true.

He really wanted to reach over to comfort his friend, but he restrained himself and sat with just an eyebrow raised. “Is he always like this?” he asked Kaori.

She shook her head. “Honestly I'm not sure. _Tohdoh-san_ would know,” Kaori replied. She sighed and held up her PDA again. “ _Kururugi-kun_ , we can talk logistics later, but let's get back to your schedules, all right?”

“Sorry,” Suzaku blushed a little but dutifully swiped his finger a few times over his PDA. “All right, so tomorrow, tour of downtown Tokyo and interview in front of Diet followed by meeting the Prime Minister and his cabinet for a formal dinner.”

“Day two is a tour of the construction of the Tokyo Shatterdome. _Tohdoh-san_ will be guiding you through this portion. Tacit Ronin's already berthed in there so you'll be able to formally meet Duc and our team. Photo ops and the whole works. Plan on being asked questions by the reporters following us about Jaeger Academy and your partnership.”

“Should we expect questions about Nagasaki's Shatterdome plans?” Lelouch asked.

“Yes, but _Tohdoh-san_ will probably deflect. I wouldn't say much about that, you're aware of the circumstances that had conceived of those plans?”

Suzaku nodded. “I'm not sorry, but...”

Kaori smiled and Lelouch thought she looked much younger and youthful than her twenty-something years. He thought he understood a little of why the Japanese media had picked her apart during her tour with Duc Jessop. There was no poise and grace in her smile or in her more serious demeanor, just a simple honesty. She wasn't demure or humble. Kaori Jessop was just...human, a soldier – who gave no bullshit as to her countrymen's attempts to foist their ideals on her.

“Between you and me, _Kururugi-kun_ , it was the right thing to do,” she nodded once before looking down at her PDA. “Once the tour's done, _Tohdoh-san_ did squeeze a little bit of time for a quick break in the Shatterdome's recreation room. Then a dinner with select officials of the city, government and big donors that helped fund the construction of the Shatterdome. We expect Minister Kirihara there, but there may be a chance your father will appear.”

“Even if he didn't, Kirihara's his attack dog. He'll report on everything,” Suzaku's lips turned up in a sour smile. Kaori glanced between the two of them and the fact that they did not even have their hands next to each other making her brow wrinkle before a small 'o' appeared on her face. However, she cleared her throat roughly and made a visible attempt to move on – too polite to ask any further.

Lelouch noticed that it was a distinctive trait amongst many of the Asians, prominently in the Chinese and Japanese candidates back at the Academy. It seemed any family issue was not really discussed and instead inferred. While the royal family tended to be the same way, because of the _size_ and sheer amount of family members, half-siblings, and Courtiers, inevitably the issue at hand became gossip.

“Your third day will be a morning interview. The Board was wondering if you should go on a variety show, but we nixed that. Not for the seriousness of your family's name or what we're trying to do to show Britannia.”

“Even if Britannian air doesn't show these interviews, they will be on social media I suppose,” Lelouch murmured and Kaori nodded.

“Prince Schneizel is using the social angle in this particular tour since the two of you are very popular with the younger demographic. Recruitment, rationing, all of the things we need to do to make sure we're fighting this war and getting people to buy into it – we're using this angle and your popularity to make sure that the younger generation can influence the older ones to let go of their prejudices.”

“How is the perception here?” Suzaku asked.

“You, _Kururugi-kun_ are trending in in all demographics. You do come from a very well-respected family and the people do look up to the Kururugi family to lead this war, so you're trending well. The fact that you are the fourth Japanese to become a Ranger has also played well with recruitment and also part of your Jaeger team is Japanese has also helped matters too,” Kaori said before turning to Lelouch.

“As for you, well...it's interesting. Schneizel wasn't exactly right when he said you were trending like Suzaku trended back in Britannia. Since our population skews just a little older we've noticed a curious trend among the older age group. Many of them are more curious about you than out right infatuated. What's interesting is that the younger demographic, and we mean the children, are afraid of you.”

“Afraid?” Lelouch was a little surprised.

“We think it may be the perception that you're cold on television,” Kaori replied before a crooked smile appeared on her face, “and in person too.”

“Oh...I see,” Suzaku's mouth had opened partially before he smiled slightly. “It...makes sense if you look at it from that angle.”

“I'm confused.”

“To the older Japanese, you come across as very reserved, am I right, _Kaori-san_?”

“Yes,” she nodded.

“The older demographics like that. Though it's a good guess that they also might be a little leery of that reservation because you are, in their eyes, a foreigner. But since you haven't given them any reason to fear you, they like that sort of poise and so they're curious about you. To them, you've...not quite earned, but you're definitely making them think you can become that name, that is always introduced first.”

Lelouch frowned for a minute, turning Suzaku's words in his head before he opened his mouth. “So...it's a matter of perception?”

“Remember what I said about the whole _Nadeshiko_ – I'm sorry _Kaori-san_ -”

“It's fine,” Kaori waved away Suzaku's apology. “Culture exchange going on here, I get it. I had to explain some of it to Duc.”

“Subtle perceptions,” Suzaku emphasized. “Your reservations in the interviews in Britannia already gave them an impression of the seriousness of the war and because of Onibaba, they get it. They see it. And they see me next to you ready to support that. So that's why you're trending well with the older demographic.”

“And the younger ones?”

“Well...it's like a child being scared of an adult,” Suzaku shrugged. “You're unapproachable until you show that you won't discipline them.”

“So, stick to my usual self?”

“Minus the arrogance,” Suzaku's grin was rueful and Lelouch rolled his eyes.

“I'm not arrogant-”

“Yes you are,” his friend shot back. “You're smug and arrogant because you think you know everything.”

“I do know everything,” Lelouch resisted the urge to stick his tongue out as Suzaku shook his head and gave him a look. He coughed. “Almost everything.” The look continued. “Nothing about this country or its cultures.”

“And there we go,” Suzaku replied with just a hint of smugness. He turned to Kaori. “So should we aim to balance it or do we want to continue?”

“My gut says to balance because it will play well in the Japanese media and public, but from a outsider perspective, it's going to look like we're generally making fun of Britannia. Humanizing the two of you would be great, but it's an interesting balance that has to be maintained. We play too much to the Japanese media, you'll only be referenced as the Prime Minister's son. You play too much to Britannian and other media standards, you'll be ostracized by your own people as subservient to Britannia.”

“I think I see the problem here too,” Lelouch nodded. “The Britannian people might not like me pandering to the Japanese media too much, like speaking Japanese or learning cultural aspects. They may think I'm subservient to you instead of being in the interviews we had.”

“How do you figure they see that?” Suzaku asked.

“Britannian mindset is very ego-centric. Focus on the self not on the whole of the people. Individualism versus the collective grouping and the needs of the group. Everything they see, people get interviewed, it reflects off of their own perceptions, not that of what may the person be thinking in context. Or they twist the context itself. Lack of empathy I suppose...” Lelouch scratched his chin before leaning forward, an idea starting to form. “Kaori, what did Duc do?”

The senior Ranger looked at him, a little surprised before she tapped her lip. “He...didn't really say much. We didn't really have to worry much about his perception during our media tour since he was Australia. But when he did speak, he did ask questions.”

“That could be a good angle, Lelouch,” Suzaku nodded, “Answer when you can, but ask questions for clarity?”

Lelouch nodded, glad that Suzaku knew him so well.

“Oh I see,” Kaori nodded too, “the whole cultural exchange.” She grinned. “Good idea you two. It plays on the younger Britannian perceptions of wanting to know more about the Japanese culture and of you, Suzaku. But it also plays on the nationalistic sensibilities of Japan for someone whom they are curious about, but have not quite formed an opinion yet as to Lelouch here.”

“I guess my next logical question is, should I be bowing in greeting or using honorifics if I'm answering in Japanese?”

“Well, that bow you greeted me with when we first met wasn't exactly perfect,” Kaori had a slight smile on her face. Lelouch warmed a little in embarrassment. It had been an automatic response following Suzaku's lead at that time.

“I know some things, but my partner here tells me that my bow sucked when I tried to thank Nagisa back in Term 1,” Lelouch admitted.

The older woman laughed before turning to Suzaku. “You taught him?”

“Not at that time. Since then, it really didn't come up,” Suzaku shrugged. “I guess we could go over it when we get to the hotel as it can't hurt, right?”

“The staff would appreciate it,” Kaori looked thoughtful. “They also would be the ones who wouldn't mind as much if you tried to practice it on them. We're putting you up in an international hotel for convenience, but the staff there are more...tolerant in that sense. They won't get annoyed or potentially offended as much if you make some mistakes or attempt to learn the culture without understanding it.”

“As for honorifics, it'll help if you do answer fully and it definitely would be appreciated by the interviewers – you can stick to just _-san_ if it'll help, but you don't have to use it if you're addressing me,” Suzaku shrugged.

Lelouch did not miss Kaori's sudden widening of her eyes before she covered her mouth with her hands. “ _K-Kururugi-kun._..” she whispered. “D-Do you know what...?”

Suzaku's eyes flashed, but his expression was mildly pleasant as he nodded at Kaori. “I do.”

“What.” Lelouch felt horribly lost in the sudden flow of conversation. He had a feeling that he was missing something _very_ big. It didn't help that Kaori was turning bright red before she shook her head, unwilling to answer him. He turned to Suzaku but his partner only glanced at him before shrugging again as if he did not know why the older woman was still bright red.

Lelouch pressed his lips together, reminding himself firmly that he trusted Suzaku on this part of the media tour. He nodded once, letting that trust bleed into the bond and felt the slight feel of gratefulness return. He settled back into his seat and saw Kaori glance at the two of them, still hiding behind her hands, but she was looking at them with some worry. He ignored her look. He trusted Suzaku.


	6. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part VI

Lelouch's first impression of the Japanese media was that they were absolutely restrained in their questions and unfailingly polite. They followed like ducklings behind him, Suzaku, Kaori and the local PPDC liaison who was in charge of cleanup operations in Tokyo.

Captain Kusanagi Shiyu was a former reserve member of the Japanese Defense Force. He had worked with Tohdoh back in the days and had been recommended as the PPDC liaison with Tohdoh through Tokyo Shatterdome to help in the aftermath of Onibaba. They all wore masks as they walked around the perimeter. Though most of the kaiju blue had been swept up, there was still lingering debris of fallen buildings and particulates in the air that were unhealthy to breathe in.

He and Suzaku wore their usual grey uniforms as the toured the damage. Lelouch could see that Suzaku clearly recognized some of the places, murmuring here and there, asking questions of Kusanagi that he was answering with facts and numbers. Lelouch stayed silent for the most part, knowing that there was nothing for him to do except to follow and silently support his partner in this. The reporters and cameras that followed them were solemn, but eagerly recording the whole visit.

He marveled at their restraint, whereas he knew the Britannian media would be constantly pestering them in the middle of the tour and visit, trying to get quick sound bites or notable quotes that they could run over and over again.

However it was in the medical tents where the visit seemingly derailed and Lelouch realized what Drifting with Suzaku had done to the two both of them. It seemed some of his own influence of making statements and drawing lines in the sand rubbed off onto his partner. The doctor that met them at the tents was Daisuke Saiki, a young twenty-something man who worked with the Doctors Without Borders. He obviously recognized Suzaku as the doctor cheerfully greeted him, slapping and hugging him like he was an old friend.

The well-behaved reporters behind them had come to life, whispers and low hushed voices as cameras recorded their interaction. Lelouch did not need to know that the reporters were frantically calling to their news stations to get them information on the doctor fast; wanting to know why there was such a friendly connection between the two.

Lelouch stepped up and greeted Dr. Saiki in the western style with a handshake before the doctor gestured for them to follow him. They followed with the duckling reporters behind them along with Kaori and Captain Kusanagi. Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch saw her glance at her watch, a slight frown on her face.

“What?” he murmured.

“This was supposed to be a quick stop, photo op, not going _into_ the medical tents themselves,” Kaori murmured back, but she made no move to stop them. He wondered if she had been warned by Angela Hansen and was letting whatever Suzaku was doing play out.

Lelouch shrugged and quickened his steps to catch up to Suzaku as the doctor brought them around to one of the larger tents set up in the overflow hospital. He felt his breath catch at the amount of patients who were lying on cots, makeshift beds and even the floor. All were clearly suffering from kaiju blue, wheezing, moaning or were in pain from their wounds. Some had blackened parts of skins while others seemed just mildly ill with a light cough or were staring at a middle distance. Nurses and doctors, some dressed in scrubs while others wore only face masks and gloves, were walking among the patients. There were others, clearly volunteers, who sat and talked with some patients or helped them eat.

Lelouch had never seen a sight like this.

And judging by the sudden stillness and lessening of camera clicking behind them, neither had the reporters. He wondered what they had been taking imagery of and suspected none of them had stepped deep into the medical tents before, hovering outside or sending their reporters in. Through their bond, Lelouch felt a grim determination followed by a wave of compassion. He turned to see Suzaku unbuttoning the top collar of his jacket and realized what his partner intended to do.

Lelouch quickly followed suit, taking his jacket off and setting it to the side as Suzaku rolled up his shirt sleeves showing toned bare forearms before accepting a smock, gloves and goggles. It was clear Suzaku knew his role in such a place and Lelouch could only follow. He didn't mind as he saw Dr. Saiki direct Suzaku to a corner to help one of the nurses before turning to him.

“ _Suzaku-kun_ _has had experience in this,_ _Lamperouge-san_ -”

“ _Lelouch is fine_ ,” he replied in Japanese.

“ _Lelouch-san_ ,” the doctor nodded once. “ _Now since it does take some time to train you up, I'm going to have you just sit and talk to some of our patients instead. I'm sure a visit by a Ranger would help their spirits if that's okay with you?_ ”

“ _Wherever you need me_ ,” he replied. He knew the cameras were now recording every moment and decided that he could do a little better to help Suzaku in his plan. He turned to the group of reporters. “ _Er, perhaps our dedicated reporters could soothe some of the spirits of those in here too?_ ”

“ _Yes, yes, that is an excellent idea_ ,” Kaori immediately chimed in loudly, and the reporters, caught between a rock and a hard place nodded their assent. He saw those with camera crews talking with them before they all followed Kaori to the table where a couple of other nurses and doctors – slightly bewildered by the sudden influx of people wanting to sit with their patients – started to pass out protective gear for them.

The doctor chuckled and leaned a little closer to him. “ _Suzaku-kun and I go way back_.”

“ _Manila_ ,” Lelouch stated and the doctor nodded.

“ _He told you about it?_ ”

“ _Insomuch as we're partners in this. Though..._ ”

“ _He called me last night about this visit. He didn't want this to just be a photo op. He wanted to honestly help so I made sure he was able to_ ,” the doctor blushed a little. “ _I guess I will not hear the end of this from my superiors._ ”

“ _The PPDC takes its mission seriously. If there is trouble, please let us know immediately_ ,” Lelouch did not know how much influence he could have, but he supposed having senior Rangers like the Gages or even Marshal Tohdoh would hopefully help whatever trouble Dr. Saiki might get into for helping Suzaku with his stunt.

“ _I know. And we thank you for it. I'm just glad that he has not forgotten about me or the work we've done here_ ,” the doctor smiled behind his mask and Lelouch was struck at the wistfulness in the man's tone and the quick look that he had shot towards Suzaku who was now bustling about – arms full of containers, trays and running at nurses and doctors' calls.

Lelouch realized that there was a more _personal_ connection between the doctor and Suzaku. And he didn't really have to think hard about that connection. However, he was a little surprised at the sudden flood of jealousy that surged in him briefly before he pushed it down. He couldn't be jealous on what he couldn't confirm in such a public setting. He also realized that the surge had apparently affected Suzaku as he saw his partner turn to look at them briefly, his eyes curious before Lelouch waved him away to continue whatever he was doing.

He couldn't be jealous because it was not fair. To him, but mostly to Suzaku.

“ _Please, follow me_ ,” the doctor stood up and gestured for him to follow and Lelouch did so, attempting to banish all the conflicting feelings he had. This was for Suzaku and he trusted his partner.

* * *

They stayed well past the time they were supposed to meet the Prime Minister and his cabinet at the Diet Building. It was late in the afternoon, the sun already setting when Dr. Saiki urged them to continue on with whatever tour they were doing. Suzaku had a proud smile on his face and Lelouch couldn't help but match it as the two of them walked with the group of now slightly-exhausted reporters to from the medical tents to the Diet Building. Everyone in the group – Kaori and Kusanagi included – had pitched in to help. Most of them didn't have experience as runners like Suzaku did, so they did what Lelouch had been asked to do, sit with the less critical patients and tell them stories or listened to their concerns.

A lot of the reporters had come away chock full of notes, misty-eyed or were already planning new stories for their newscasts. He and Suzaku had been stopped by some of the reporters on occasion as they met with patients or in Suzaku's case, running back and forth to help the doctors and nurses. They answered brief questions and Suzaku spoke more of Manila and how it compared to the tents here as well as the lessons learned. The reporters took their notes, but it was clear that many of them had turned this from a PPDC story to more of a humanitarian effort.

Kaori had come away with stoic tears in her eyes, but she refused to shed them. Lelouch saw a few cameras pointed at her and hoped that it whatever story came of that shot that they had gotten of her, it would change some of the Japanese media's perception of her.

Lelouch had come away with a better understanding of those that suffered from kaiju blue, but also hoped some of the stories he told of Nunnally to the patients who suffered from its effects, would help strengthen them. There had been one particular young girl, perhaps no older than six, who had just had her leg amputated because of kaiju blue. She also lost an eye, but it was due to falling debris. He had spent the most time with her, telling her about the days in Aires Villa and describing to her the gardens of the Villa itself.

As they walked to the Diet Building, Lelouch noticed that Suzaku looked rather worn, but his eyes were bright. He reached out to clasp a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. He could feel the gratefulness flow through their bond and was glad that at least they were allowed friendly gestures of camaraderie even with the cameras still on them. As they approached the gates to the courtyard of the Diet Building, Lelouch felt both a mix of resignation and of a firm determination wash through them and looked up to see a man dressed in an impeccably tailored suit standing by the gate. Lelouch lifted his hand from Suzaku's shoulder, an unspoken understanding passing between that they had to be more than friends – they had to present a united front.

The man before them cut a martial-like and impressive figure, his strong stature framed neatly with the looming building of the Japanese national government. With the same brown colored hair as Suzaku's, Lelouch realized this was Genbu Kururugi, the Prime Minister of Japan and his partner's father. His second thought was that Suzaku looked _nothing_ like Genbu save for the same hair color. Genbu was square-jawed, imposing and had cold brown eyes that seemingly bore into them.

The duckling reporters were all silent behind them, but their cameras were whirling. He followed Suzaku's lead as they walked shoulder-to-shoulder and stopped at a respectable distance from the Prime Minister.

Lelouch had been taught the proper forms of bowing by Kaori and Suzaku when they had reached the hotel last night, practicing first on the two before the hotel staff graciously allowed him to practice on them. Suzaku had even asked that they grade his performance and give feedback instead of the usual mild clapping and murmurs of how he was learning their culture. That had produced some unusual commentary and a true understanding of the bowing culture.

So he was not surprised when he bowed, Suzaku bowed _lower_. “ _I am terribly sorry for keeping you waiting, Prime Minister. I ask for forgiveness for my lack of graciousness for your hospitality._ ”

The words were so formal that Lelouch could barely comprehend them. It was only by the sheer fact that he had Drifted with Suzaku that had sort of understood what his partner was saying. Still, he kept his eyes lowered, his bow polite as he was taught and waited for it to be reciprocated or acknowledged. They waited to about the count of thirty before he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

He relaxed just a hair as Genbu Kururugi acknowledged their show of respect. They both lifted their heads at the same time and Lelouch did not miss the fact that Genbu had not verbally addressed Suzaku's formal apology as he nodded once.

“ _Come, the car is waiting to take us_ ,” the Prime Minister intoned before stepping forward to the reporters assembled. He gave them a curt short bow. “ _Thank you all for your service today. Please accept my apology for the lateness of the hour and I wish you all well for the evening._ ”

The reporters nodded back before Genbu gestured for them to follow. Lelouch and Suzaku followed with Kaori hanging back to either hail a cab or to follow them in another car. The invitation was clear that only he and Suzaku were to ride with the Prime Minister to the dinner with the cabinet members. Kaori would be there to guide them back to the hotel once the dinner was finished.

To say the car ride was frigid was the understatement of the year. Lelouch thought he could practically watch water freeze in front of him at the tension that immediately filled the small space of the limousine that took them to the restaurant. Though he sat next to Suzaku, Lelouch was very careful of _where_ he sat and how his own limbs were placed. Instead, he adopted a relaxed, if not alert stance, letting himself lean more towards the windows of the car than anything else. It still didn't help that he could feel Suzaku practically vibrating with defiance and resentment in their bond as he sat upright, not even relaxing into the cushions.

Genbu sat directly across from Suzaku, his eyes boring into his son. The man only briefly flicked one look at Lelouch before focusing on his son, but Lelouch had the impression that Suzaku's father was watching him carefully while ignoring him at the same time. He did not mind, keeping his face neutral. So far, Genbu wasn't exactly impressing him with his attitude – the Emperor seemed far worse than he.

“ _How are things?_ ” Suzaku started the conversation with a less formal speech than the public apology he had made.

“ _Construction efforts are on-going and the public assuaged,_ ” Genbu replied curtly. “ _Your...visit to the medical tents was not necessary_.”

“ _I happened to see that they needed some help while we were there_ ,” Suzaku's expression looked like it could have been carved from stone. “ _The advancement of such humanitarian efforts will help public sentiment_.”

Genbu snorted. “ _The public need not bleed their hearts. They need to see to the destruction of the kaiju. We would not become so weak as to be only known for our humanitarian efforts_.”

“ _And we show compassion to our own people and others that we have both martial might and the guiding hand of healers. A benevolence that we can defend ourselves and care for those-”_

“ _Defense is not a sound decision in this, son. This is war. We will go on the offense and we will show our might. We are in the right_.” Genbu scoffed. “ _You still cling onto childish ideals. I would have thought you smarter after your disregard for filial piety and...this.”_

The blatant meaning of his word was clear even as Genbu did not look at Lelouch. However, Suzaku merely had a mild expression on his face, his eyes clear as he stared at his father. His hands were folded in front of him.

“ _I still am your son, Father. Your advice to me while sound, led me to believe that there were other ways to accomplish the goals you have encouraged all of our people to undertake_.”

Lelouch had to quickly think back as to the tenets of filial piety and what it meant for a second. His mind latched onto the slight...loophole, for the lack of a better word, from what he knew of his partner's feelings and relationship with his Father. Difficult was always the understatement of the year, but he marveled at how subtly rebellious his friend was being at the moment. One of the core tenets of filial piety was to wisely advise one's parents. Suzaku was apparently using that argument.

Lelouch was amused.

And apparently Genbu seemed to note it as his brown eyes were alight with anger and fury. “ _A silver-tongue does not become you,_ son _. It is clear what...influence you have been under has twisted your views of our family, our values and those of our people. You-_ ”

“ _This has always been my own tongue and my words. There was no 'influence' as you are attempting to infer. Perhaps you only wish to think of it because you do not truly comprehend or even have a thought to begin to understand. You see what you wish to see as always, Father. I see differently._ ”

“ _You are as hot-headed, impulsive and rebellious, if not more_ ,” Genbu glared before lifting an eyebrow. _“Do not think my words to be compliments, son. You have become a danger to yourself and to our family. You will control yourself or else you will face consequences_.”

Lelouch could see the moment where Suzaku's green eyes flashed and the sense of 'bring it on' roared forth before it was just as quickly extinguished. He could _feel_ his best friend struggling to contain his outrage and fury. The sense and need of protectiveness was surging in Suzaku. Lelouch could feel his own desire to seemingly set Suzaku free, to tell him it was okay – that he didn't need protection, but held his tongue and put a lid on his own sense of righteousness. He reminded himself that this was Suzaku's battle. He couldn't just override all of the trust and tell him to that he had permission. There was no equality in it. All he could do was trust him, support him, and let his presence be there to ultimately guide Suzaku to whatever decision _he_ made.

“ _...And you wonder why the world may perceive Japan as weak?_ ” Suzaku said quietly, the fury and indignation smoothing out to a coldness that Lelouch was greatly reminded of his own. “ _The world does not revolve around you, Father. Japan does not revolve around you. You may be its Prime Minister, you may be its leader, but you cannot dictate the will of the people. The people will see what they wish to see even if you believe it to be untrue. The fact of the matter is, we_ need _the world's help right now. We have suffered so much. Is it weakness to extend the hand of friendship?_ ”

Genbu was silent in wake of Suzaku's question. It felt like the temperature in the car dropped several more degrees as the two stared at each other with chipped eyes. The battle of wills between the two could not be more obvious and Lelouch knew he was just a mere spectator in all of this.

The silence stretched for the next few minutes before the car pulled to a stop. They had arrived. And it was then that Genbu answered.

“ _You are my son. If you've any shred of respect left for our family name, you will control your self in such manner until deemed satisfactory._ ” With that, the Prime Minister opened the door and stepped out. Lelouch finally allowed himself to move and glanced over to see Suzaku with his head bowed for a second, his eyes hidden from his view before he stepped out.

From their bond, he could feel _nothing_. And for the first time, Lelouch was worried.

* * *

The dinner with the Prime Minister and his cabinet was pleasant enough, if not stiltedly awkward. Kirihara had been there and Lelouch knew his initial thoughts on the Deputy Prime Minister was correct. The man was a born-politician. He led many of the questions that were thrown at him and Suzaku, but with a blatant tone of apparently trying to prove Japanese superiority over Britannia. Lelouch had deflected many of the questions back, the barest mention that he was not a royal and so kept himself on equal footing with Suzaku – for the most part.

It seemed Kirihara's mission was to unseat that equality that had been spoken in the Britannian media tour by twisting it so that Lelouch's civilian status was nothing more than a ploy or perhaps made him even more unequal to the bloodline that Suzaku came from. Suzaku for his part, was rather reticent, the most Lelouch had ever seen from him. It reminded him of the early days in the Academy where he had not asked many questions and even if asked, provided short answers. Whatever Genbu's last words were in the car, it had clearly affected his partner. Even in their bond, the normal feelings that bled through were heavily muted or silent.

Thankfully, the dinner ended and Kaori picked them up, driving them back to their hotel in silence. Lelouch did not miss her puzzled looks at Suzaku and knew he was not the only one who was genuinely wondering what had changed with his Drift partner. They parted silently to their rooms in the hotel, Lelouch watching as Suzaku opened the door to his room and disappear into it before he entered his own room. Though they were next to each other, with a shared door in between – a similar set up like they had in the Britannian media tour – he couldn't help but glance at the shared door several times as he stripped his uniform off and changed into his night clothes.

He still didn't feel anything from their bond. Lelouch sighed, looking to turn off the lights and crawl into his bed before he heard the distinctive _click_ of the lock to the secondary doorway that connected their rooms together being disengaged.

Alarm flooded into him. Was Suzaku absolutely crazy?! He didn't have the bug diffuser with him, but the invitation was very blatant. He reached out, sending his worry through the bond, trying to hope that he felt something in return, but he still didn't feel anything. Lelouch shook his head, flicking the lights off and crawled into his own bed, throwing the covers over his own head. He was determined to _not_ break whatever trust Suzaku had in him, nor disregard Tohdoh's warning by unlocking his own door. He couldn't-

And then Lelouch heard muffled sounds of his partner moving about the room before the loud squeak of something being turned followed by a soft hissing sound. He realized that Suzaku had turned on the _shower_ of all things. If that was not even more of a blatant invitation-

Lelouch gritted his teeth – he still felt nothing along their bond. What the hell was his partner thinking?! He waited a few minutes, trying to see if sleep would come to him before he finally gave up and threw back the covers quietly. He was well aware that he did not have any sound save for the air conditioner whirling overhead, to cover his own sounds.

So he gingerly crept out of the bed, tiptoeing to the shared door and slowly unlocked his own, hoping that the sound was not heard by whatever microphones or bugs that might have been installed in their room. He also hoped that it was dark enough that whatever cameras might have also been installed would not pick up on his movement. Suzaku was never this reckless. What had come over his partner?

He hesitantly pushed the double doors opened and glanced around his partner's darkened room. The lights to the bathroom were the only thing shining and it was clear that Suzaku had stripped all of his clothing as his uniform was hanging on the chair and both his shirt and pants were haphazardly tossed to the floor. Lelouch frowned and picked the articles of clothing up and set them onto the edge of the bed, hoping they wouldn't get too wrinkled from being tossed like that.

He moved silently towards the bathroom and pushed the door open. However, instead of of steam filtering out, it was bone-chillingly _cold_. Lelouch shivered, but his eyes automatically tracked to where a mop of brown hair clothed only in boxer shorts sat, huddled in the corner of the shower stall. Suzaku's knees were draw up to his chest and his head was resting against it. His arms encircled his legs and he was shivering against the coldness of the water that was raining down upon him. But he didn't seem to move away from it.

Lelouch stared, something in him cracking a little at the sorry state he had found his best friend in. He exhaled quietly and padded over to the shower stall, drawing the glass door aside. He shivered again as his bare feet were instantly soaked in the puddles of cold water.

“Suzaku,” he called out softly, but there as no answer.

Lelouch frowned and knelt down, reaching out with a hand towards his partner. He shivered again at the sleeve of his tee-shirt instantly soaking up the pounding spray of the shower. Gingerly, he touched Suzaku's head and felt the barest of trembles run through his partner. He let his hand hang for a second before he crawled into the shower and sat next to his partner.

Suzaku immediately leaned into his shoulder and body, still curled and shaking, but Lelouch wrapped his arms around him. He reached up and turned the water setting to just a hair warmer as he continued to hug him. He still felt nothing in their bond, but at least there was a physical response to his presence for now.

“L-Lelouch,” Suzaku asked quietly, his voice barely traveling over the sound of the pounding water hitting tile.

“Hmm?”

“When...t-tell...tell me how you felt,” Suzaku shivered again, “the moment you decided to deny your h-heritage?”

Lelouch glanced down at his friend and noted that while Suzaku still had his head bowed, his eyes were alight with a raw emotion that he couldn't identify. He pursed his lips for a moment, wondering what his friend was getting at before he stared at a point in the bathroom. “I...felt rage. Indignation. A hurt and fury that clawed at me, like it was trying to get free. I wanted to lash out, but I was so afraid. Loss, terrible loss. Like someone tore my heart out and I wanted to revenge. I wanted to _hurt_ something and didn't care who it was. I...”

Lelouch thought back on the days of Pendragon. “I think I was ready to kill my father – no, kill the Emperor then. Because he let my mother die. He let Nunnally get hurt. But I was so scared of him at the same time. I honestly thought if I attacked him, and then I was beheaded then, I wouldn't care. I'd be free of the pain. Of my sorrow...of my anger and fury.

“Then, I thought about Nunnally. She'd be alone. The only thing I had left in the world that was precious to me. And then the Emperor's words that I had not truly lived. That's what made me realize that, in a way, he was right. I really had not lived. I was in a cage. I was protected and could have my life dictated. If I were to die, it wouldn't be what _I_ wanted. It would be what _he_ wanted. I had no control over my fate.”

He looked down at Suzaku and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head, inhaling the faint scent of antiseptics, of sour sweat from the day's work, and the food that they had eaten. It would have been repulsive if it wasn't the smell Lelouch knew underneath it all – the smell of his partner.

“So...I didn't care anymore. I broke away. If I was going to die, then it be on my own terms. I was not beholden to the name I was born with. I didn't care anymore. The Emperor was my enemy from here on out.” He lifted his head a little and rested his chin on top of Suzaku's head, pulling him a little closer. “Honestly. I think I was scared and surprised when I did it in that moment. But in my heart, I knew I wanted it. I embraced it and pushed past my fear. It was not his fear to own. It was my own. I was in control of my own fate.”

He fell silent after that, his eyes focused on nothing in particular as he listening to the pounding of the now, slightly warmer, shower of water hitting the tiles.

“You are a braver man than I am, Lelouch,” Suzaku finally said.

“Why?” He asked. Useless platitudes that he was not brave nor was attempting to assuage any type of feelings Suzaku might have had for implying he was cowardly was stupid in his opinion. They both lived in each other's heads for the last few months already. He just wanted to know why.

“I...can't throw away my family, my father, not like you can,” Suzaku's voice was muffled against his own chest as he curled into himself a little tighter.

The simple suggestion of reassurance that he was here for him, or that Suzaku could slowly learn to disassociate himself with Genbu's wishes and plans was on the tip of Lelouch's tongue, but he held those words to himself. They were _western_ ideals. He was beginning to see that. Attempts to foist a cultural thought that was in essence a little alien to the Asian concepts of duty, family and self. Something Suzaku took serious pride in and something Lelouch knew he was already hard at work on to try to learn and incorporate their cultures to make their friendship work.

Instead, he said. “The man whom you share half of your DNA with is a stubborn man whose ideals will probably never change.”

There was another twitch and shudder that ran through Suzaku before he numbly nodded. “I...want what's best for him. I wanted him to understand...I...” he suddenly uncurled a little. “I guess I was afraid in some respects. That I wanted him to love me and tell me that I did the family name proud. But his idea of our family name and my idea of our family name are too different.”

“Were you afraid he was going to disown you?” Lelouch ventured quietly.

“Maybe yes? But then...” Suzaku small bark of laughter was a little bitter sounding. “I realized I didn't care if he did. I realized, I'd be free of this shit. I'd be sad, I'd probably be horrified, but then...I'd be free.”

“But would you be happy?” Lelouch pressed.

Suzaku uncurled himself further and finally lifted his head a little. His eyes were like an ocean of pain. “I don't know...” He glanced at him. “With you...yes, always. But in the long run...”

Lelouch smiled sadly. “Your country, family, clan, and people...” Naoto, Ohgi and the rest of those in their Jaeger Academy class had not been off the mark with their assessment of Suzaku. He _was_ Japan. He carried the weight and burdens of his people's hopes and dreams in this war and it was all because he was his last name. A scion of the Kururugi family and a scion of the Japanese people.

He knew his friend had the capacity to be selfish and claim happiness with him without a care in the world, but that was not Suzaku Kururugi. His partner was _selfless_. Lelouch Lamperouge was the selfish one. Lelouch threw away his family and his name for his own happiness and that of his sister. Suzaku couldn't throw away his own family name for his happiness because he cared too much about those around him. And so he was trying to claw and grasp at any piece of selfish happiness he could take and hide away from the burdens he had to unwittingly bear.

Lelouch sighed and tightened his grip around his friend, hugging him closer. “And you say I take too much of the burden on myself,” he echoed the words of their first ever real fight. It had been about who would be Gipsy Danger's right hemisphere, but in reality, it had been the perceptions that they both knew would come with their partnership.

Suzaku huffed a tiny laugh. “Can we go home, yet?”

“No,” he replied bluntly. “Not yet. Two more days though.”

Suzaku nodded as he let his legs relax onto the tiled floor. If his boxers weren't soaked by now, they were completely wet, clinging onto his skin like a second layer. Lelouch's eyes could easily trace the more intimate parts of his lover just by how soaked through he was. As much as he was aware of the nature of the situation they were now in, he was also clear-headed enough to understand that this was certainly not the time to test any form of libido – even if they were in a shower that was theoretically large enough to fit the two of them.

“I hate my Father,” Suzaku leaned back against the tiles, Lelouch lifting his head and settling next to him, making the same motion. He kept his arm around Suzaku's shoulders though, knowing that the tactile comfort was at least helping a little. “Yet...” he trailed off as his green eyes roamed the bathroom. He sighed. “We should get out of here...” He reached up to turn off the water, but Lelouch stopped him.

“You going to be okay?”

Suzaku looked at him, his green eyes still holding an incredible amount of pain, but they were clear. He felt the wash of gratefulness suddenly pour through their bond and an unbidden smile appeared on Lelouch's lips. It felt _good_ to finally feel something from him after feeling nothing during the night.

“I will,” Suzaku replied. “Thank you.”

Lelouch let go of his hand and it twisted with a bit of flourish to turn off the water spray. As the last drops echoed in the bathroom, he leaned over and kiss his friend gently on the lips, the same tenderness returned before he quietly got up and walked with careful steps to grab two towels.

He handed one to Suzaku who pushed himself up from the floors. Lelouch silently wiped his own feet and at least the bottom half of his body somewhat dry before taking careful steps out of the bathroom. He slipped out of the doors, padding silently over to the double doors that was open leading to their rooms and stepped into his own.

Using the wet towel, he muffled the squeak of the hinge as he closed his door, but didn't lock it. The noise would to be too loud now that there was no sound of the shower to drown out some of it. Lelouch was less careful walking to his own bathroom and flipped on the lights, noisily pulling his own pants and soaked shirt off before unceremoniously flushing the toilet to pretend he had to go the bathroom in the middle the night.

He added a slightly annoyed sound as he wrung out his night clothes in the sink before turning the faucet on and letting them soak underneath the water. Hopefully if there were listeners or watchers, they would think that he had just masturbated and accidentally left a mess all over himself, hence the cleaning of clothes and usage of toilet. The towel he had taken from Suzaku's room could easily be replaced with one of his own in the morning as they got ready for the day. He dug around his luggage for another pair of boxers and tee-shirt as he hastily dried his own hair and wiped the water down from his body. Task done, he wrung his clothes out again and hung them up. It wasn't the most solid plan he could come up with, but he would still adhere to Suzaku's request and Tohdoh's warning.

He discarded the towel and closed the lights to the bathroom with a firm click. Sighing, he headed back to his own bed and pulled the covers over himself, not caring that his wet hair was soaking straight into the pillows. He closed his eyes, letting Suzaku's gratefulness wash over him as he fell asleep. Two more days, then they could go home and get back to more important things.

Like killing the kaiju.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes that is Kusanagi and Daisuke from CLAMP's X/1999 series. Whether the end of the world happened or the 7 Seals and 7 Stars actually fought probably didn't happen, but in this continuity, Kusanagi is still JSDF, but a PPDC liaison (maybe married to Yuzuriha? I dunno) and Daisuke Saiki is well beyond the years of a student and a medical doctor specializing in kaiju blue.
> 
> Also, the talk under the shower scene is heavily inspired by "Casino Royale" (2006). It was one of my favorite scenes in any Bond movie for the emotional content in it.


	7. The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc - Part VII

Day Two of their Japanese media tour was, in Lelouch's opinion, a hell of a lot better than Day One. Mainly because they were visiting the partially completed Shatterdome and because Tohdoh and Nagisa were conducting the tour. Lelouch and Suzaku answered questions from the polite duckling reporters that followed them. Kaori was also in better spirits as the tour in LOCENT also allowed for an opportunity for Tacit Ronin's LOCENT crew, Major Duc Jessop and others to greet the reporters.

Duc Jessop greeted some of the reporters by name, bringing the subdued, but pleasant atmosphere instantly alive with his boisterousness. Lelouch watched, greatly amused as the duckling reporters seemingly tried to comprehend the Australian who was clearly exaggerating some of his enthusiasm. Kaori was waffling between seemingly staying in her stoic and reservedness or apparently wanting to pull her Drift partner to the side to yell at him for some decorum. Either way, it had ended the tour on a high note and with satisfied reporters who thanked them for their time.

Lelouch found himself collapsing unceremoniously in what was supposed to be the recreation room on the base, but with only the small kitchenette section built and a couple of couches and two tables. One of which held a board with the game of Go on it. They had a few of hours before the dinner with the selected officials who help fund the construction of the Shatterdome. The three pilot pairs would be attending this one, which Lelouch felt a lot better about instead of the stilted dinner of yesterday. The only thing that annoyed him was that Minister Kirihara was also going to be there.

“Hey, Lelouch,” Suzaku called out and he cracked an eye open to see his friend sitting down on front of the board. “You want to learn?”

Lelouch shrugged. “Sure. Though I guess, maybe it's better I watch first while you explain?”

“Good idea,” Suzaku looked happy before glancing up. “Err...”

“I'll play. My pride won't take a hit if I lose,” Nagisa Chiba walked from the kitchnette with a tray of tea cups and a pot as she carried them over and set it down on the second of the two tables. She poured tea for the four of them before she sat down on the other side of the board.

Lelouch pushed himself up from the couch and headed over, pulling a chair over next to Suzaku to study the board.

“No, sit there. You'll be able to get a better view,” Suzaku directed him to move to where he could sit and watch the action. “Plus, it'll help you decide whether you want to play black or white in the long run.”

Lelouch frowned. He wanted to say he always played black, no matter what game it was, but he supposed with an apparent tactical game like this, he needed to figure out if there were any weaknesses on either side.

Tohdoh silently sat behind Nagisa, but had a slightly mirthful smile on his face at the sudden glare Suzaku shot at his former sensei. Lelouch had a feeling that Suzaku did not _want_ Tohdoh to be advising Nagisa on any sort of strategy. As Suzaku began to explain the differences between the two colors and the objective of the game, Lelouch watched as Suzaku picked white while Nagisa picked black and they began.

While Lelouch was initially puzzled as to the explanation of territories and loss of the stones – the pieces they played with – as the game progressed, he began to see the what it meant. He also began to see a slight difference in play style as it went on. Suzaku was very aggressive with his play, relying on fast expansions to create his territories and lines. Nagisa played a little conservatively, but she was very sneaky about her territories. They weren't as large or grand as Suzaku's, but what he went for with large swathes, she matched him with smaller islands.

He also took the time to study her. Nagisa had been diagnosed with a cancer in her brain in the aftermath of the Onibaba battle. She had an apparent seizure in the middle of Onibaba that caused a dangerous de-sync of her and Tohdoh's handshake which subsequently led to Tohdoh solo piloting and finishing off the kaiju. She had been undergoing radiation treatment, but they seemed to have stopped and while she looked drawn and pale, she looked a little healthier than the last time he had seen her in between Term 2 and 3 of the Academy.

With each stone put down or removed, Suzaku explained what he was doing and what he thought Nagisa was doing. Some of the rules confused Lelouch, but made sense in two or three moves later. In the end, Nagisa had won, but Lelouch thought it was because Suzaku had practically explained his strategy out loud to her.

They reset the board and Suzaku scooted over, gesturing for Lelouch to take his spot against Nagisa. He did so with some trepidation and picked black to start. His first game was a loss to Nagisa, but he asked if she could play again and she laughed before nodding. There was a moment of silent communication between Nagisa and Tohdoh before she turned back to start the play once more. His second game, however short it was, was another loss to Nagisa, but he noticed that his territories were larger and hers were more crowded together.

They started a third game and Lelouch noticed that there was a slight change in Nagisa's strategy. She was no longer going for smaller island-like territories. He frowned and glanced up to see her with an intense look on her face as she carefully moved her pieces. He flicked a quick look at Tohdoh who sat near her and saw the same intensity on his face.

He did not need to know that they were communicating silently through their bond. It wasn't telepathic, but it was definitely more along the lines of impressions and so forth. The two of them were planning a strategy much like they piloted a Jaeger. Lelouch looked back down at the board and made a slight adjustment to his right cuff as he set his piece down. He heard the barest inhalation from Suzaku – their signal for him to take a look at their opponents. The faint impression of hilarity followed by a sense of deviousness rolled through their bond. Lelouch sent the same mirth back through as they watched Nagisa make her next move. From Suzaku, he received the impression of curiosity before the sense of caution. It seemed she was setting a trap of sorts. Lelouch moved his piece to a different side and started to build his defense from there. His apparently change in defensive measures surprised Nagisa – and Tohdoh by extension – as they quickly abandoned the trapping maneuver to counter his sudden growth of his territory.

But Lelouch moved back to where they abandoned the plan and began to cut through what should have shored up defenses. All the while, he felt the slight smug satisfaction from Suzaku at his play style. It was aggressive like his own, but with a hint of feints and distractions that he was known for. The third match ended in a draw.

Lelouch sat back, a satisfied smirk on his face as Nagisa stared at the board before them. She looked up, a proud smile on her face. “Good match,” she said and he nodded.

“I had help,” he admitted before she laughed lightly.

“I thought so,” she said before gesturing to Tohdoh who was staring at the board, studying it with some intent. “We were wondering if you had picked up on the change in strategy.”

“Playing the person, or in this, playing with your Drift partner as a second set of eyes,” she sipped her tea. “Kaori, Duc, Kyoshiro and I discovered this back while we had gaming night.”

“Technically, wouldn't that be cheating?” he asked.

“Well, it's certainly not allowed in the professional context,” she set her tea cup down before she glanced at her watch. “Shoot, we should be going.” She turned around to face Tohdoh. “ _Do you mind finding Kaori and Duc? Bring Lelouch-san with you. I want to talk with Suzaku-kun._ ”

“ _Of course_ ,” Tohdoh bowed his head slightly and Lelouch got up, suddenly feeling a little caught off guard. Nagisa was never usually blatant about her intentions; but nonetheless, he dutifully followed Tohdoh out of the room, shrugging at Suzaku who also looked a little bewildered.

Once outside, Tohdoh turned down a hallway and Lelouch jogged a few steps to catch up to the man's long strides. “Are we really going to go find Kaori and Duc?” he asked.

“Yes,” Tohdoh replied bluntly. “And you and I need to talk.”

Lelouch did not like the sound of that. He frowned when there wasn't a followup from the Marshal. “Sir?” he prompted respectfully, hoping that it would at least provide him with an answer.

They turned down two nearly empty hallways before Tohdoh finally stopped. He glanced up and down finding it empty before looking at Lelouch. “There are a few things you need to know before tomorrow's dinner with the clan,” Tohdoh started without preamble.

“The clan?”

“More accurately, the clans,” the older Ranger clarified. “I will not be able to tell you this tomorrow because of your schedule so I am telling you now to ensure that your relationship with Suzaku survives.”

Lelouch stilled. He swallowed, his brow crinkling in concern. For the most part, he had never known how Tohdoh felt about his and Suzaku's partnership, aside from the clear indications of acknowledgment that they were Drift partners. However, the man's words combined with the fact that Lelouch _knew_ Suzaku looked up to Tohdoh as more of his father-figure than his own flesh and blood father, put a whole new context into his words. Tohdoh had said _relationship_ instead of partnership. There was a distinction in those words – the man was very deliberate with his speech.

He had the sudden sinking feeling that he was about to get 'The Talk' from Tohdoh if there was any indication of Tohdoh's parental-like affections back to Suzaku. And from a Field Marshal nonetheless. He was also starting to feel a little embarrassed for some odd reason of actually having slept with Suzaku for all this time just for Tohdoh to suddenly 'sit' him down to have this talk.

“Sir...we...received your warning and we've not deviated-”

“Ranger...” Tohdoh held up a hand to stop him. “Lelouch,” he started again, “you need not explain yourself to me in that sense. I am well aware of the partnership that comes with the Drift along with many of its...peculiarities. I am talking about your _relationship_ with Suzaku. That was the gist of my warning.”

Lelouch stared as Tohdoh continued.

“As you may have noticed, Suzaku is very impulsive. He used to wear his heart on his sleeve, but thankfully his age and years have tempered a lot of that. However, he will not tolerate the suffering of those he loves or those he thinks he can save, whether it is emotional or physical. He will not back down in the face of adversity and will suffer to prove his point.”

“His spar against you,” Lelouch pointed out and Tohdoh smiled slightly.

“His spar against me,” he replied. “Foolish, but I can happily say I was very proud of his tenacity and ingenuity that day. Dare say, he was very observant and picked up on your habits of sneak attacks too.”

Lelouch couldn't quite kill the smile off of his own face at the compliment.

“Tomorrow, you will be subjected to suffering that he will more than likely lash out at,” Tohdoh's expression sobered into a serious one. “This is the one thing I cannot prevent.”

“What makes it so different?” Lelouch knew he could have easily said he would defend himself and Suzaku, but he also wanted to understand why it would be happening to him and why Tohdoh couldn't prevent it even if he wanted to.

“It is Suzaku's own impulsiveness that has gotten us to this point. The Kururugi clan and their retainers, myself included, are to be at this dinner, but so are the Sumeragis because of their association by Suzaku's blood.”

“His cousin, Kaguya,” Lelouch stated, and Tohdoh nodded.

“She will be in attendance.”

“And...my presence there-”

“You will be seen...in western terms, as 'the other woman' or in your case, the one that seemingly corrupted Suzaku's heart and led him astray from his duty to his clan and to his family,” Tohdoh stated. “You will be weighed and measured by the members of the Sumeragi and of the Kururugi clansmen. Every single gesture, word or mannerism will be scrutinized. They will want to know why Suzaku threw away seemingly _everything_ just for you.”

Lelouch pressed his lips together thinly. “If...” he swallowed heavily. “If it were so simple, why do they not keep the engagement? Marry him and put it all behind?”

Tohdoh chuckled darkly before looking at him. “Would you even allow that, Lelouch?”

Lelouch looked away. It was a stupid question. But he knew it had to be voiced. He would not share Suzaku in that sense. He wouldn't even consider a triad with Euphie for Suzaku unless Suzaku honestly asked him – and it didn't seem like he was inclined to ask at the moment. He wasn't possessive about his partner, he just liked the fact that his friendship with the other man was not built on a sexual foundation, but rather on pure understanding of each other that was still growing day by day.

“But Suzaku takes his duties to his family seriously,” he looked back at Tohdoh who nodded sagely.

“He does,” the Marshal replied, “which is why he will fight this tomorrow. This is also why I am telling you this, Lelouch. There will be a titanic battle tomorrow and its outcome will either be the death of your relationship with the boy I consider my son, or it will survive.”

“One or the other?”

“To the Sumeragi and to the Kururugi, you remind them of an incident and time they would much rather forget. They see history happening over again and they will do _everything_ in their power to fight it from happening and survive past it. There is also the small matter that Suzaku _is_ the last of his line. Hokuto Sumeragi only had one child and there are no more direct blood relations left in the Kururugi line except for Suzaku and Genbu.

“If the Kururugi line were to die, it may not be a bad thing, but for the stability of Japan against these times, they do have the right to worry. The Sumeragi already lost a blood clan head, their 13th Clan Head if I am not mistaken, and Lady Kayuga was from a branch Sumeragi line who had to accept the position and all it entailed when the 12th Clan Head passed away. Technically, the main Sumeragi line is already extinct because of their 13th Clan Head's decisions.”

Tohdoh became a little quiet. “Both clans will not see that happen again with Suzaku.”

Lelouch felt a disquieting sensation in him. A part of him wanted to say to hell with it and rant about the unfairness of the situation as well as the fact that the two of them were equals and partners in this, that their relationship was not for scrutiny by others. But the other part of him realized the magnitude and uncomfortable intimacy that they would be subjected to tomorrow. No matter how much he and Suzaku wanted to keep their relationship to themselves, Ranger Protocols be damned, it seemed that, that particular secret was already out to the Sumeragi and Kururugi clans.

He supposed there was one small silver lining in all of this that was unlike Britannia. The clans seemed like they weren't going to go blabbing about their relationship. Thank God for small mercies and the sense of privacy from Japanese culture.

“Tohdoh...” Lelouch wet his lips, finding his throat suddenly dry. “What if...what if it was Euphie instead of me?”

To his credit, the Marshal didn't bat an eye. “A similar conversation would have taken place. Genbu might have been a little more partially inclined since there was a chance of pregnancy, but Suzaku's honor would have ensured that protection was used and an unplanned pregnancy would have not happened even if Genbu wanted it. The clan would still scrutinize Princess Euphemia, but from a social standpoint, it would be worse because she would be a Britannian Princess. It would still be the same result either way. Suzaku abandoned his duties to his family and lineage by leaving Kaguya at the altar.”

Lelouch was a little aghast. “Tohdoh, we could _die_ in the next few months. Hell, I could die and Suzaku could survive-”

“Each decision made by a family member is weighed against previous decisions made. Suzaku's rejection of marriage, even if he was already your partner, sends a clear message to both clans. Even if he were to make up for the perceived error, it would hang over his head for the rest of his life. He knows this.”

Lelouch stared down at the ground, his mind whirling with the information. “A-Are...are you saying he picked me over...”

“That is a question you have to ask him yourself, Lelouch. I cannot put words or claim to know. All I can do is speculate and offer what I've observed of the boy I raised with the sword and martial arts,” Tohdoh replied sincerely.

But Lelouch knew he didn't have to ask. He already knew his answer. He knew it a long time ago when he and Suzaku had fought about perceptions and of being the left and right hemisphere. The decision had already been made when he offered Suzaku the chance to come with him to Oahu in between Term 2 and 3. It was decided the first time he had offered his hand in friendship to the young man who now piloted Gipsy Danger with him.

Suzaku – and by extension, Lelouch – chose friendship over family, responsibilities, and whatever perceptions dogged them.

He looked up again at the taller man. “You tell me all of this, but...what are your thoughts? On...this, on us?”

Tohdoh snorted quietly before folding his arms across his chest. “Very unlike you, Ranger.”

Lelouch laughed quietly as he ran a hand through his hair and looked away for a second before turning back. “Suzaku's made it clear time and time again that he doesn't consider Genbu his father. He looks up to you and you have said so yourself in return. So I guess...in the sense that I am in a relationship with your son...”

This time Tohdoh did laugh, a rich and hearty sound. “You are asking my permission I take it?”

Lelouch smiled. “If we really want to look at it that way.”

“I have seen and been a part of too much tragedy in my years alive,” Tohdoh started, a melancholic tone taking over. “If it comes down to clan politics, I told Suzaku that I am willing to work with my enemies in order to advance a cause that I believe in.”

“The bitter pill?”

“Yes,” Tohdoh nodded. “I have seen too much tragedy befall the two clans so to see happiness in its rare form is something that needs to be cherished. It is fleeting and it is rare. It can be easily taken away in such a short time that you are left holding onto the pieces that you want to cherish even more.”

Lelouch knew he was referring to Nagisa. “I...can't promise I won't make him happy in the long run, but what we have now...I will try to cherish it as much as possible.”

The corner of the Marshal's lips twitched up in a sad smile. “I know. Perhaps that is the only thing we can do.” He glanced down at his watch and Lelouch knew that the conversation had come to an end. “Shall we?”

“Sir,” Lelouch nodded respectfully and fell into step behind Tohdoh as they went in search for Kaori and Duc.

* * *

The dinner with special guests and donors of the Shatterdome was far more pleasant than the one with the Prime Mininster and his cabinet. Minister Kirihara was there and tried to orchestrate the narrative, but with everyone's general interest in the kaiju, the war and the Shatterdome, there was hardly any room to insert his attempts to promote Suzaku over Lelouch instead of treating them as equals. It was rather impressive to see Tohdoh, Nagisa, Kaori and even Duc ganging up on the Minister, talking him down before talking as if he wasn't there at all. He knew Suzaku got a kick out of it since he nearly choked on his water one time, trying to contain his own laughter at one particular witty remark thrown by Nagisa. Lelouch had to pat him on the back to stop his coughing. It was making his own chest seize up in a bizarre pseudo-ghost Drift.

They retired that evening in good spirits and the subsequent morning interview went well also. Lelouch got his first experience with Japanese news sets – finding them more unusually bright and almost gaudy than the austere, minimalist Britannian ones. Suzaku said it was a staple of Japanese sensibilities, but the questions asked of them was still the same. They answered the more curious ones about their partnership, apparent friendship and the differences in culture. Lelouch was asked more about his thoughts on Japanese culture in relation to Britannia and he made an honest comparison, but also thanked Suzaku for the patience in teaching him aspects that he hoped would not offend the Japanese people.

There was surprise in that particular answer, but a calm acceptance from the two hosts that interviewed them. There was a basic sort of 'game' they had to play at the end – Suzaku had warned him that Japanese television was a little different in that morning TV productions tended to want to play small games of sorts to give the viewers a sense of a pleasantness to their day. The game tested on their language skills, English and Japanese. Lelouch supposed he passed since the hosts all clapped politely in the end and thanked them for their time.

Once they were back in the car, Kaori looked at them, or more specifically at Suzaku and asked where they'd like to be dropped off to explore for the next several hours.

“Hotel first. I want to change into more comfortable clothing and walking shoes, then, Ueno Park,” Suzaku said and they were off.

Lelouch honestly felt like he hadn't worn any regular clothing since the week's break between Term 2 and 3 and it only had been mostly shorts and a tee-shirt because of the hot, humid weather of Hawai'i. The clothing he wore now, jeans, long sleeve black shirt and light brown jacket felt very foreign on him as did the sunglasses he wore to protect his eyes and conceal some of his features. Suzaku looked even more bizarre in his clothes along with the wide-framed sunglasses he wore to cover his own eyes.

Kaori had taken one look at them before telling them to wait and came back with two baseball caps that she jammed onto their heads. She then declared them ready and they were dropped off near Ueno Park. It was crowded with tourists and locals, but Suzaku had said it wasn't as bad as hanami season. Kaori said she would pick them up in the same spot, but to enjoy their time off and drove away.

There were a few locals who had spotted Kaori and her uniform along with their exit, but Suzaku had grabbed Lelouch's hand and dragged them away before any questions or speculations could be asked of them. Lelouch had been surprised at the sudden physical contact, but realized that with them all but anonymous, they really did not need to worry about keeping up pretenses. He had laughed, bringing Suzaku's gaze towards him as they walked along the leafy paths, hands laced together.

Suzaku asked him what was so funny and he replied that essentially, the next few hours could be construed and treated like a 'date' if they wanted to – and had to hand it to Tohdoh, Nagisa and Kaori that they were geniuses. Suzaku had blushed rather prettily, suddenly shy at the realization. Lelouch had only pulled him closer before squeezing his hand reassuringly. They still weren't comfortable with any sort of public display of affection like kissing, but also because it really wasn't expressed in Japanese culture, a more reserved fashion than Britannian's apparent exhibitionism. However, they did see other couples walking close together and so kept their hands laced together as Suzaku pointed out all of the things in the famous park.

They visited the shrines and temples – paying their respects at all of them, tried some of the street food from the vendors, and even went to the zoo where Lelouch saw his first panda. He had never seen the creature before and was fascinated at how...ugly and cute it looked chewing on a giant twig of bamboo. Suzaku had taken one look at his expression before laughing his head off, having to excuse himself to try to get a semblance of breath.

When he returned – still red-faced from lack of air – they walked through the other side of the park – Lelouch declining to visit the museums even though he was curious – it seemed Suzaku wanted to show him as much of the park as possible. They went to the nearby Ameyo Yokocho Market, an indoor and outdoor market with numerous stalls selling all sorts of things from food to souvenirs, to random makeup kits and costume jewelry.

They brought small samples of various foods to try and Lelouch found that he liked different kinds of yakitori – he suspected it was the seasoning and sauce; was not too partial to tempura even though the batter was very light; found natto to be...interesting even though it tasted weird and sticky – Suzaku apparently liked it a lot. Lelouch really enjoyed takoyaki – he generally enjoyed a lot of seafood because of Hawai'i's high prices on red meat and poultry since it was an island, but found the desserts that they sampled to be even better.

Crepes was probably his favorite. A spin on the European United's own dessert, re-invented by the Japanese people to be far more interesting in combination and flavors, he enjoyed eating a bittersweet chocolate and coffee combination that left him unable to describe the flavors he was experiencing. Suzaku had merely reached up to wipe some of the excess chocolate off of the corner of his mouth before licking his own fingers clean.

Lelouch did not think it was fair of Suzaku to do something _that_ sexy in such a public place, but his best friend merely raised an eyebrow at him before going back to his own dessert, a sakuramochi even though it was out of season. There was a promise in those eyes and he honestly wished they were back in Anchorage in their own room, doing whatever Suzaku was promising with that look of his.

He banished those thoughts as he finished the decadent desert and they spent some time exploring the stalls. Suzaku haggled with some of the merchants for some trinkets to bring back to the others on their team, mostly cellphone charms and small odds and ends. They found two cellphone charms that fit the Gage twins perfectly – it was of two blue robots, looking nothing like Romeo Blue, but nonetheless, both were holding Japanese katanas in opposite hands. Perfect representation of the Knights of Two.

Suzaku had found a heart-shaped cellphone charm that opened up to reveal a locket and said it would be perfect for Nunnally. Lelouch was touched at the thoughtfulness of the gift and vowed to give it to his sister when he next visited her. Suzaku shuffled them to a portable photo booth and took a picture of them for the locket even though they both knew she wouldn't be able to see the picture. It was still the thought that counted.

Their shopping excursion done, they met Kaori at the requisite time where she had originally dropped them off. Their hands carried bags of gifts for their team and they were in a good mood.

But that mood slowly evaporated as they returned to the hotel and trudged up to their rooms, changing back into their grey uniforms and heading back downstairs for Tohdoh to take them to the Kururugi main house for the family dinner. Lelouch could feel the small bits of dread that Suzaku tried to mask as they sat in the car. He was also aware of his conversation with Tohdoh the previous day and hoped that whatever happened tonight, they would come out of it mostly unscathed.

The odd thing was that Nagisa was not with them until Suzaku had murmured that Nagisa was not officially part of the retainers the Kururugi kept. Lelouch thought it a little cruel, but understood. It was similar to how some members of the royal family were excluded or included in certain events based on whether or not they fell into certain categories.

The main estate was large as they pulled up. Lelouch had only gotten glimpses of old Japanese architecture, but even he was very impressed at how imposing the main Kururugi house looked. From what little Lelouch studied on Japanese architecture, the house was built in the traditional format of all Japanese estates. Wide, mostly one-story flooring with and impressive array of sliding doors, tatami mats and wooden flooring. Indoor shoes were given to them as they shed their own at the entrance and Lelouch realized that Suzaku had been right regarding smaller steps taken in the slippers.

Against both the tatami and the wooden flooring, if one did not have firm deliberate steps, one could easily slip in the slippers. He was careful with his steps, following Suzaku's lead as they were taken into the main house. He could feel the history of the estate, in the walls, the bows of the staff and in the way Suzaku carried himself as they walked. Tohdoh followed behind them, a silent sentinel. As they entered the dining room, Lelouch realized that they were the last ones to arrive.

He wondered if it had been quite deliberate.

But it seemed Suzaku was not phased by the timing of their arrival as he gave a perfunctory bow, one more of greeting than of apology, towards the assembled clansmen of the Sumeragis and Kururugis. Lelouch followed, mirroring his partner's stance at the greeting as did Tohdoh. As Lelouch lifted his head, he quickly studied the assembled people and easily identified which one was more than likely Kaguya Sumeragi, the 14th Clan Head of the Sumeragis. She was dressed in a very traditional Japanese kimono with pink and purple accents, her hair styled in long and flowing with bangs that framed her heart-shaped regal face. However, it was her eyes that gave away whom she was. She had the same green eyes as Suzaku. She sat tall on the tatami floor in which everyone else was seated around, her hands folded demurely in front of her dress as she stared straight at them.

The servant that showed them in, led them to their seats around short-legged table and Lelouch found himself sitting diagonally across from Suzaku and immediately next to Kaguya and an unknown young Sumeragi clansmen to his right. Tohdoh took his seat to the left of Genbu who sat at the head of the metaphoric grouping. Suzaku next to Tohdoh. Kirihara sat to Genbu's right. The rest of the Sumeragi clan scattered down the squat table and Lelouch noted that there were children among the clansmen. Three adults, two males and one female sat among the three children, some of them with the same elfin-shaped face as Kaguya, but none with the green eyes that linked Suzaku and Kaguya together.

He could already feel something akin to anger flash in Suzaku through their bond at the seating arrangements. It didn't take him much to pick up on the fact that _he_ was diagonally across from Suzaku while Kaguya was _directly_ across from Suzaku, forcing him to technically turn if he wanted to address or chat with him. Lelouch had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning and steeled himself to Tohdoh's warning. The night was young and they had not even started the dinner.

Genbu raised his hands and made a quick perfunctory speech welcoming his son back along with congratulations of his graduation from Jaeger Academy and being a pilot. There was no mention of Lelouch except for an oblique reference to being part of a Jaeger pilot pairing along with sentiments of showing the might of Japan when killing kaiju.

He then clapped to start the dinner and Lelouch attempted to sent a soothing thought to his friend. He could feel the tightly held back anger that was definitely growing in Suzaku. Tohdoh said that there were things that happened tonight that could either destroy their relationship or have it survive. Exclusion, seating arrangements, all of it was just the beginning of what was a micro-aggression of both clans showing their immense displeasure at Suzaku's rebellion.

Still, Lelouch was determined to make the most of whatever passive aggressive showing they were displaying and knew he had piqued interest in Kaguya as he picked up his chopsticks – ignoring the fork laid out on his particular plate – and began to eat the food before him.

However, she ignored him for the first course, the topic of conversation flowing mostly from the interested clansmen to Suzaku and back about Jaeger Academy, piloting and so forth. Suzaku gave unreserved answers, no longer sticking to the script of the media tour as he answered honestly. Lelouch valiantly kept his face rather neutral each time Suzaku said his name without any honorifics attached to it.

He had figured out yesterday on the Shatterdome tour why Kaori had turned a little pink regarding the question of honorifics. Lovers and those who were _married_ or very close to each other addressed the other without honorifics. Technically, the two of them addressing the Japanese media in Suzaku's native language should have used the _-kun_ honorific to denote friendship or a general closeness in their partnership. Suzaku airily telling Lelouch that he could do without that honorific and just his name was a subtle statement to the media – and by extension to his family – that they were closer than that.

Not that Lelouch minded at all.

But it was still very bold of Suzaku to use his language's subtleties to get his point across. And now, watching and listening to Suzaku's answers to the questions thrown at him was amusing, but worried Lelouch. There was still an undercurrent of anger in the bond and it occasionally lashed out before seemingly being forcibly controlled by Suzaku.

It was by the early third course that someone apparently either decided that Lelouch was too silent of a participant in the dinner, or honestly gathered up the courage to ask him a question. He supposed it was the latter as the young boy – no older than ten – who sat to his right, tugged on the sleeve of his grey uniform.

Lelouch turned, staring into the wide brown eyes of the child who frowned and stared up at him. There was some rice on the corner of the child's mouth as he pursed his lips before shaking his head.

“ _You don't look like a demon_ ,” the child, Ayato – if Lelouch remembered him being addressed a couple of times already – said boldly.

Lelouch did not miss the sudden hush silence that fell across the room, but ignored it as he turned to the child. “ _And what does a demon look like?_ ” he asked neutrally. He absently continued to eat. The other guests did too, their conversations much more muted as they tried to listen in.

“ _Sora-chan says that demons are as tall as the skyscrapers, maybe more than that. They have glowing eyes and can stomp and squish things like ants!_ ”

Lelouch finished swallowing his food and stared at the child thoughtfully. “ _A demon that tall? Sounds more like kaiju than a demon._ ”

“ _Yeah well, Auntie said that demons are also human-sized and they have eyes like yours_.”

Lelouch did not miss the sudden stiffening of the older woman with salt and pepper black hair sitting to Ayato's right. She coughed, sipping her tea in an effort to stop herself from choking on her food. Lelouch set his own bowl down, making sure his chopsticks were _not_ pointing at anyone in particular and reached for his own teacup. The bitter liquid washed down his throat.

“ _Well,_ ” he contemplated his answer carefully. “ _I could be one._ ” He ignored the slight wash of puzzlement from Suzaku. “ _You know why?_ ”

Ayato's cherubic frown made his lower lip wobble a little. “ _Why?_ ”

“ _There are different demons out there. That's for sure. Your Sora-chan said the ones with glowing eyes? Those are demons. Kaiju...you heard of them, right?_ ”

“ _Auntie, Uncle and Cousin Kaguya won't let us watch the kaiju attack. I wanted to see Onibaba. We were told its forbidden_ ,” Ayato pouted again. Lelouch could feel a few glares directed his way, but he ignored them.

“ _Onibaba was a demon, a fitting name. But how would you know if it was a demon or not?_ ”

“ _I dunno_.”

Lelouch set his cup down and smiled slightly. “ _You ask. Sora-chan found out that demons exist that are skyscraper-tall right? How does your Auntie know demons have eyes like my own?_ ”

Ayato looked at him, blinking before shaking his head. Lelouch gestured with his chin for the young boy to try out what he suggested. The glares became heated as all eyes were on the young boy – whom Lelouch honestly felt a twinge of regret for manipulating in such a way, but he also could tell the boy was rather innocently honest in all of this – as he turned to the older woman sitting next to him.

“ _Auntie, how do you know demons have purple eyes?_ ”

Lelouch kept his expression neutral as the Auntie clenched her chopsticks quite tightly before she plastered the most fake smile on her face. “ _Ayato-kun, questions like this should not be asked during dinner_.”

“ _On the contrary, Michiko-san, they should_ ,” the crystal clear voice, pitched perhaps just a hair lower than Euphie's own vocal range, spoke on Lelouch's left. It took him another second to realize that Kaguya, of all people, had said those words.

He glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see her staring at the older woman with eyes so eerily similar to when Suzaku was in an obstinate mood. He did not miss the start of surprise from Suzaku either, having stopped halfway with food towards his mouth.

“ _Kaguya-sama, I did not mean-_ ”

“ _Please, by all means, continue. I honestly would also love to know how demons always have purple eyes. I heard they have red eyes or even green ones_ ,” the last part of her sentence was directed towards Suzaku who frowned, but made no other reaction.

“ _If demons have green eyes, would that make you one, Sumeragi-sama?_ ” Lelouch cut in, glancing at her through the corner of his eyes.

She smiled, a row of pretty teeth that Lelouch instantly recognized as a challenge. However, it also elicited several gasps of shock from the rest of the Sumeragi clan. From Suzaku, Lelouch could feel nothing, but he wasn't as worried as he was the last time he felt nothing. Tohdoh's words that he would be weighed and measured rang with clarity in his head. He would adhere to Suzaku's wishes, but he would also not let himself become an accessory to the clear dislike they had in his friend's actions.

“ _So polite, for a demon_ ,” she shot back.

“ _There are eighty-seven, forgive me, eighty-six of us,_ ” he replied, “ _all demons. Thought not all with purple eyes that Michiko-san here seems to think is prevalent among those of us who walk in human skin. In fact, I do believe there are a few green-eyed ones among the eighty-six...though whether or not they are demons is another question. They seem rather...slothful I suppose. Less inclined to do much except throw barbed language or perhaps make assumptions of others._ ” He deliberately let his gaze slid towards Kaguya much in the same way she had attempted to direct a barb towards Suzaku.

Kaguya's eyes flashed angrily at the implied insult, but she kept her composure and plastered a sweet smile on her face. “ _And such is the pride of those purple-eyed demons to believe they are above such recourse?_ ”

“ _In such generalization? Do you believe such a thing, Sumeragi-sama?_ ” Lelouch asked pointedly, knowing he had trapped in a question of her own making. If she said yes, she'd be admitting to bigotry which he supposed in this type of audience, would be mild at best, but still frowned upon. If she said no, then she had lost much ground to continue her clan's apparent dislike of him.

“ _Of course not_ ,” she said loftily, “ _to each a demon would beget those it steals from. It need not be just the eyes, but the intent and manner._ ”

It was a good answer, but one that Lelouch knew he could easily rip apart. Kaguya was deft at wordplay, but she had nothing on the royal court and their barbed comments. However, he also knew he had to restrain himself as much as he wanted to tell all of them to go to hell and leave him and Suzaku alone. He only needed to show that he honestly did not care about what they said about him. They could attempt to tear him down, but he would not stand for them to tear Suzaku down at the same time. He set his cup down. “ _If it is also intent and manner, one must then examine the stolen object too. Of the causation to make it able to be stolen. There is also the manner in which such an object is labeled. Objective and subjective to that of each one's own intent and thoughts. One may think it is to be stolen, another may think it not stolen and instead accepted with open arms._ ”

Kaguya frowned. It was clear she got the wordplay behind his meaning.

“ _In this case, it is not the color of eyes that begets a demon, but the subjective view of those who intend to pin such labels in an attempt to understand and fail. That I believe, is the truest test._ ”

The 14th Head of the Sumeragi Clan was silent for a full minute. Lelouch belatedly also realized the rest of the room was utterly silent as she worked her jaw for a second before inclining her head neutrally at him. She turned to the head of the table.

“ _Kururugi-sama, if it would not trouble you too much, I'd like to converse with you of a recent matter that has been at the forefront of our clans. Now._ ”

Genbu's eyes were sharp and Lelouch did not meet the piercing look thrown his way but the other man nodded gruffly. “ _As you wish, Sumeragi-sama_ ,” he replied before holding up a hand to stop the dinner service.

Lelouch noticed that the others in the room, including Kirihara and Tohdoh were starting to get up and realized that they intend to talk right then and there – and that dinner was essentially suspended at the moment. He could feel a sense of bewilderment from Suzaku as the two of them followed suit and started to rise from their seats-

“ _Suzaku-sama, please stay_ ,” Kaguya's voice was clear over the din of people scrambling from their seats.

“ _H-Hai_ ,” Suzaku stuttered before he sat right back down.

Lelouch blinked, staring at his partner for a long moment as even he shook his head. He had no idea what was going on.

“Lelouch,” Tohdoh called over gruffly in English and he blinked, pulling himself away from looking at Suzaku before he rounded the table and followed the Marshal out. The door slid close with a click that sounded ominous behind them as they all were now ushered further down the hallway by Kirihara and Tohdoh. Lelouch glanced back at the door, suddenly wanting to stay-

“Leave it, Ranger,” Tohdoh warned quietly, pushing him none too gently down the hall with his hand. Lelouch shot a look up at the Japanese man, but obeyed.

“Tohdoh-”

“Leave it,” the other man warned.

Lelouch could not read what was in his gaze nor in his posture. He wondered if he had somehow messed up, if he had broken the relationship instead of having it survive. He tried to reach out on his shared bond with Suzaku, but he ran into that blankness again. He pinched his lips together as he waited with the others down the hallway. They could hear voices now, lower murmurs and the higher pitched one of Kaguya. But no one could discern what was being said.

Lelouch was aware of the quiet murmurs that had started up behind him from the others, the servants and the clansmen. He felt more than one eye on him, but a glance up at Tohdoh still revealed nothing of what the other man was thinking. Minutes ticked by, the murmurs in the room growing no louder and one of the children whined that they were hungry only to be shushed by one of the Sumeragi adults. After about twenty-five minutes according to Lelouch's watch, the door to the room slid open and Kaguya stepped out.

Her expression was quite neutral and Lelouch held his breath as she walked up and stopped before him. He blinked, unsure of he should do anything before she suddenly bowed, a deep one that alarmed him.

“ _I ask for your humble forgiveness Ranger Lamperouge for the way you have been treated by myself and my clansmen. We have faulted you when there is no fault to be found. It is our selfishness and our own desires manifested that gave life to such cruelties that we needlessly inflicted upon you. On behalf of the Sumeragi clan, I ask you for your forgiveness._ ”

Lelouch blinked, shock coursing through him as he stared at the top of Kaguya's head. He opened his mouth slightly before closing it, trying to comprehend what had happened in the span of twenty-five minutes; what had happened before then. He had only said a few words, to essentially tell them that they need not involve Suzaku, that if they wished animosity, it was his fault and now...

He came back to himself as he swallowed heavily. “ _I..._ ” he trailed off as he ran Kaguya's words back through his head. Something wasn't right here. Something- The words...they did not say anything about forgiving Suzaku. Only himself. He swallowed again.

“ _I...would forgive the perceived transgressions against me except for the reason which I have apparently been graced with your apology,_ ” he kept his voice neutral, trying to figure out why suddenly Kaguya was apologizing only to him and not to Suzaku. They were a team, they were equals. He would not accept an apology for himself if Suzaku could not receive the same. Not from his family. Suzaku was what was important here. He was the outsider. He certainly did not need the apology or perception, but it was rather nice.

Kaguya twitched as she kept her head down and Lelouch could the muffled gasps of those behind him. Even Tohdoh had raised an eyebrow in sharp surprise. From Suzaku, he felt nothing but Lelouch had a feeling that he and Genbu were listening from where they probably still sat in the room. The young Sumeragi head twitched again and Lelouch stared. He realized she was silently laughing and attempting to compose herself. He frowned, not sure what she was finding humorous.

“ _Suzaku-sama only offered up the comment of your silver-tongue, Ranger Lamperouge in his defense of your words. You are very perceptive as well to have discern the nuances of our language in a short time. Very well then, I will be clear. The Sumeragi have withdrawn the petition of marriage with the Kururugi on the account that we cannot come to an agreement. It is better for us keep the bonds of family than to force the issue. The only concession made was Suzaku-sama asking for an apology to be made to you. He has acknowledged his own faults in this matter and I have forgiven him. And so, I come to ask you for your forgiveness._ ”

Lelouch was dumbstruck. He opened his mouth before closing it. It had just taken a few words for all of this to go away? He opened his mouth again. “ _Then, I accept your apology._ ” He couldn't say anything else as he watched Kaguya pull herself up from the bow. Her face had an impish smile that made her look eerily like Suzaku in some respects.

“ _Good, now that that's out of the way, I don't know about you, but I'm still hungry_ ,” Kaguya said and Lelouch could not help the weak chuckle that fell from his mouth. She sounded exactly like a normal teenager.

“ _Kaguya-sama-_ ,” one of the older adults spoke up.

“ _Michiko be silent_ ,” Kaguya suddenly glared down the hallway. “ _What's done is done and cannot be undone._ ”

Lelouch smiled, trying to hide it with a cough, but it seemed Kaguya was as sharp as he had initially thought and glanced up at him. “ _Something amuses you, Lamperouge-san?_ ”

“ _I see the reason why there is longevity in your clan for your astute cleverness, Sumeragi-sama,_ ” he replied.

“ _Kaguya,_ ” she insisted.

“ _Kaguya-sama,_ ” he replied. “ _And Lelouch if you will._ ”

“ _Very well then, Lelouch-san_ ,” she suddenly linked her arms into his own and dragged him a few steps back towards the room, startling a few of the others. “ _Let us talk more about clan and politics and you may regale me with that of Britannia._ ” Lelouch had to laugh lightly. This was a woman who definitely was as shrewd as she seemed and for her to instantly ask about Britannia and their politics – she more than likely was making sure Japan stepped onto the world stage with both eyes wide open.

The dinner was resumed with little to no fanfare, though Lelouch caught Suzaku's relieved gaze upon him more than once. Oddly, he still didn't feel anything in their bond, but it seemed that the tension was easing as the courses continued. Little Ayato and the other two children, Makoto and Sana, were finally allowed to ask the questions that they had been apparently wanting to ask him and Suzaku. It was mostly about Gipsy Danger and Jaeger bushido, but Suzaku seemingly relaxed further and answered the questions with a soft smile on his face.

It was obvious that the children adored Suzaku as their cousin, but called him Uncle instead because of his older age. The same was reciprocated as Suzaku teased the children on their latest schooling, habits and asked after their friends.

Lelouch absorbed all of it, watching as the Sumeragis – minus the apparently sour-looking Micihiko who seemed to be a traditionalist of sorts – and both Suzaku and Tohdoh interact with them. The only two of the Kururugi clansmen that did not join in or had smiles on their faces were Genbu and Kirihara.

Genbu looked like he could have been carved from stone as he sat at the head of the table. He was unfailingly polite whenever the new food was served, but he deigned to participate at all. Lelouch noted that Suzaku did not seem to pay his father much attention and even turned away while answering one of Kaguya's questions. From Kirihara, Lelouch couldn't see what the man's expression was like, but he was pretty sure the Minister was not pleased with the way things turned out.

What had been a reserved affair was loosening and Lelouch felt like he was starting to enjoy himself a little. He asked questions, about the setting, the courses, the dining, even the cuisine. He learned more about the Sumeragi clan, that they were based in the ancient capital city of Kyoto for the most part. They made a special trip here to visit Suzaku since they had not seen him since Christmastime. Lelouch had been surprised that the Japanese celebrated what was clearly a Britannian holiday, but Kaguya had explained it was more for families to visit and end the year to welcome in the new. New Years Day was celebrated with a lot more fanfare than Christmas.

By the time dessert was served, Genbu had retired and Lelouch glanced up to see Suzaku stepping out, hurrying after his father. Tohdoh merely looked at the two before he turned back to sipping the sake that had been poured for the adults. Lelouch wasn't keen on its taste. Alcohol that was warm didn't really agree with him, but he tried it nonetheless. Suzaku had only drank two cups before declining more, much to Kaguya's apparent teasing.

He blinked, feeling a little sleepy from all of the food he had eaten. The conversation, while he had trouble following parts of it, had been quite lively once the initial tension disappeared and apologies made. He definitely needed the bathroom and made his excuses. He did his business quickly and cleaned his hands before stepping out, glancing down at the darkened hallways of the estate. There was lone light on at the far end of the hallway.

A sense of curiosity got the better of Lelouch as he walked towards the lone source of light, only to stop when he heard Suzaku's voice emerging from it. It was tight and strained.

“ _-have withdrawn their petition. Why do you insist this continue?_ ”

“ _The Sumeragi may have withdrawn, but there are the other Houses and reputations to consider. The alliances-_ ”

“ _Against what? Father?! Against what? Britannia? For all you know, we could die in a scant few months because some kaiju decides to attack Tokyo again!_ ”

“ _-The alliances that have held this country together must be upheld! I will not have rebellion in my own house! Not while you are still my son and I am your Father! You are not yet of age!_ ”

“ _I'm a soldier of the PPDC-_ ”

“ _And you are a Kururugi-_ ”

“ _As you so keep reminding me,_ ” Suzaku scoffed.

“ _Silence!_ ” There was a banging sound on a hard surface. “ _I will tolerate only so much disrespect in my house and I am at my limit! You have spat on everything we have worked so hard on for all these years on a whim to partner up with this whelp of a Britannian! He is of no use to me or to our goals-_ ”

“ _Your goals father! Always yours. Not mine!_ ”

“ _-To our goals and you could not find it in your soft heart to even consider the Princess you had been so infatuated with that you now run to the pants of this...boy? Has he seduced you with his aptly-identified demonic allure that you would spread your own legs for him?!_ ”

There was a choking sound and Lelouch felt like he couldn't suddenly breathe. He grasped his own collar, horrified at the vulgarity of Genbu Kururugi's words to Suzaku. No father should ever talk to their child like that, he thought as he clenched a fist, the surge of anger rising in him-

“ _His name is Lelouch, Father. Lelouch Lamerouge,_ ” Suzaku's voice was icily cold. _“He has not seduced me, as you have said. We are partners and we are equals-_ ”

“ _I know you're fucking him,_ ” Genbu growled out.

“ _And so what?!_ ” Suzaku exploded. “ _I love him!_ ”

“ _That's the Drift talking-_ ”

“ _It is not!_ ” Lelouch did not have to imagine the glare Suzaku had in his eyes as he stared down his father. He could feel the rage, the raw scream that was building in him every time Genbu talked to Suzaku. The desperation to suppress his anger, to treat his father with the respect of the man that had birthed him, but right now, it felt so hard to contain the anger and white-hot fury.

“ _I have turned a blind eye to some of your...dalliances,_ son,” Genbu stressed the word as if it was a curse, “ _but I will not turn any longer. You can Drift, you can fuck your so-called exiled prince, but you will do your duty to our family and you will get a woman of my choosing with child so that our line may continue past this bloody war we will be engaging in. I will not have you fight without ensuring the continuity of our line is that clear?!_ ”

“ _You cannot order me to not fight. Only the PPDC-_ ”

“ _Try me, son. Just try me,_ ” there was the sound of shuffling papers. Genbu's voice was so quiet that Lelouch had to strain to hear it. “ _This is an executive order that has been in the works for the last few months. I have only but sign it and present it to the Board of Governors of the UFN in order for it to be legal. Tokyo Shatterdome will fall within Japanese government domain. There will be no foothold for Britannia to assign a Marshal of their choosing._ ”

“ _F-Father..._ ”

“ _I will make sure that you and that boy of yours will be assigned to Tokyo and you will follow my orders or else you will not pilot your Jaeger._ ”

“ _S-Surely...the k-kaiju-_ ”

“ _It will be on your head if the kaiju attack Japan again your obstinate will has ensured you are grounded._ ”

There was another choking sound before something heavy thumped to the ground. Lelouch clutched his own chest, trying to heave breaths through the lungs that he thought was choking the air out of him. It _hurt_ to breathe. And as he gasped quietly, he heard a louder echo in the room. Suzaku was crying.

“ _Father...p-please,_ ” he sobbed. “C _an you please f-find it in your heart...for once to please...don't dictate my life? Please...don't do this. Don't force me to choose. I don't want to choose. I don't want to-_ ”

Lelouch thought his own heart was going to break from the sounds before just as suddenly – he felt nothing.

Alarm flooded him as he realized something was terribly wrong. The times he felt Suzaku's presence all but disappear in their bond- He stumbled forward, nearly tripping over his own feet, throwing open the sliding door to the lone office. His eyes immediately took in the situation, Suzaku had somehow procured a katana from one of the many stands that held several ceremonial blades in the room and had unsheathed it. He held the blade up high, tears streaking down his face, his green-eyes wild with grief and fury as he looked to strike his flesh-and-blood father-

Lelouch found himself shoved to the side and Tohdoh, of all people, rushed forward, instantly disarming Suzaku with a twist of his wrist before kicking him into the nearby shelf to stun him. Lelouch shot forward, catching his friend's side just as the two of them crashed. He grimaced as he felt old tomes, paper and all sorts of sundry items dig into him, but he landed with Suzaku in his arms.

His friend's eyes were the same pain-filled gaze he had seen two nights ago in the cold shower stall. They were unseeing for a moment before the suddenly blinked and Suzaku twitched in his arms, as if coming out of a fugue. He made a small sound, a whimper, and Lelouch instinctively tightened his arms around him.

“It's okay...I got you, I've always got you,” he whispered into his friend's ear as he could feel Suzaku through their bond again. Horror flooded across their minds and he squeezed tighter, trying to stem and push back against what Suzaku was probably realizing what had happened.

“ _W-What..._ ”

“ _Get him out of here, I'll be along shortly,_ ” Tohdoh suddenly barked and Lelouch snapped his head up to see the Marshal with an unreadable gaze staring at the two of them and the pile of books they had fallen upon.

He numbly nodded, coaxing the still half-incoherent Suzaku up before he hurried them out into the darkened hallway. He moved them along the hallway, hoping that no one would see and breathed a sigh of relief as he made it out to the front without any incident.

Suzaku twitched and Lelouch let his arm drop from his shoulder, but kept his grip on his friend's wrist. Suzaku's expression crumpled as he lifted a hand to his own face.

“Oh my God...I...I almost...”

“You didn't,” Lelouch quickly reassured him, trying to send it through the bond to counteract the horror that was rolling off of Suzaku in waves.

Suzaku choked out another sob, his hand still over his eyes. In the dim moonlight, he could see tears falling down his friend's face. “I...I almost... Oh God...”

He drew Suzaku into his arms, hugging him tightly as he cried and trembled in them. He didn't say anything else as he let his friend cry. Suzaku suddenly lurched away and Lelouch had a half second of puzzlement before his friend unceremoniously threw up into a nearby potted plant. Lelouch sighed, kneeling down next to Suzaku and rubbing his back as he heaved whatever dinner he had eaten along with the sour contents of the alcohol and drinks he had consumed.

“You're okay...” he murmured quietly. The last time such a thing had happened, it had been the first time they did a full Drift. The RABIT of Suzaku's conversation with his father in the aftermath of Onibaba had brought out the utter loathing Suzaku had felt for his father and his attempts to control his life.

Suzaku spat the last of the bile out as he heaved in a few breaths. Footsteps echoed behind them and Lelouch turned to see Tohdoh walking out before handing him a napkin. He gave it to Suzaku who wiped his mouth and blew his nose before shakily standing up.

“T-Todoh...”

“Come on, let's go,” Tohdoh's voice was resigned, quiet but he gestured for them to follow him to the car. They got in and Tohdoh started to drive.

However, the didn't get far as he pulled into another small path and stopped after a short distance. Lelouch blinked, puzzled as Tohdoh got out and he got out too, Suzaku following after him looking utterly miserable and exhausted.

“Where...?” Lelouch trailed off as he realized that he was staring at a giant _torii_ , the symbol of a shrine. Beyond that were at least three buildings, one of which was rather squat and large, the other what looked like a small storage shed. However, the building that was most distinctive was the one to the left of all of them. It was built like the shrines that they had visited earlier in Ueno Park. Except this one seemed rather personal. The front of the building was quite simplistic, but it definitely extended further back – and he realized where he was.

The Kururugi Shrine. Suzaku's birthplace and home before he was accepted to Jaeger Academy.

“Suzaku's room is the third one in the second hallway. I'll be along shortly with an additional futon and nightclothes for you, Lelouch. Please see that he's settled in,” Tohdoh said gruffly as he headed in a different direction once they entered.

Lelouch managed to shed his shoes and saw Suzaku do the same, his expression quite dull and worn. He grabbed his friend's hand, squeezing it in reassurance before he followed Tohdoh's directions and slid open the door to what was supposed to be Suzaku's room. He pulled Suzaku into the room.

Flicking on the lights, he noticed that the room was...simple looking. He didn't know if he was affected by how traditional the main house of the Kururugi family looked, but he didn't expect a regular bed and mattress along with blankets in one corner. There was a small desk next to the bed with a lamp and several notebooks, all neatly piled together.

A small pile of what looked like a haphazard gear for some kind of sport was piled in another corner next to a potted plant that was turning a little brown. There were small models of robots, fighter planes, little things on another table. A magnifying glass was pushed to the side of that table, but it was clear that Suzaku had been tinkering with models before he had left.

Lelouch heard Suzaku exhale before he seemingly came to life and moved to the nearby closet, pulling what looked like a traditional western pajamas, but in reality looked more like some kind of extended cloak and loose pants that looked almost like a half skirt.

The gentle knock on the sliding door opened to reveal Tohdoh carrying in a large fluffy looking pile that had at least a blanket, wash towel and another one of the weird pajama things, along with a pillow on top. “ _Jinbei_ ,” Tohdoh said. “A form of housewear or nightwear if you will. Once you're settled, I'll fetch your bags from the hotel.”

“We're not going back?”

“I...should adhere to the tradition of spending a night as a Kururugi in the family shrine for at least one night if I am not to return to this shrine for however long the war lasts,” Suzaku said quietly. His voice sounded rough, scratchy and he cleared his throat a little. A grimace was on his face as he swallowed. Lelouch suspected that he swallowed whatever sour bile was left that he did not throw up.

Lelouch glanced to see Tohdoh nod solemnly. He blinked as he realized that Suzaku meant he was _never_ coming back for as long as his father was in Tokyo, even with whatever order was to submit to the Board of Governors to place him in charge of Tokyo Shatterdome. Theoretically it meant this was the last time Suzaku would ever see his home.

“T-Thanks,” Lelouch accepted the bundle that Tohdoh held out for him and the Marshal glanced at the two of them before bidding them a good night with a brief nod. He heard the Marshal's footsteps leave the compound before the sound of a car was heard and driven away.

The silence lasted for a few minutes until Lelouch started at the sound of Suzaku unzipping and unbuttoning his uniform. He turned, watching as his friend stripped out of his clothing and set it aside to wear tomorrow. This time there was nothing arousing watching Suzaku strip all the way to his boxer shorts. In fact, Lelouch felt the opposite. He felt shame, sorrow, guilt.

“I'm sorry,” he suddenly blurted, not knowing what came over him.

Suzaku stopped, his hands in the middle of folding over the top of the _jinbei_. Green eyes met his own before Suzaku shrugged and continued. “Why?” his friend asked as Lelouch set down the pile he realized he had been holding the whole time.

He picked up the borrowed _jinbei_ he had been given and started to take off his own clothes. He stared at the top part of the _jinbei_ , unsure of what he was supposed to do before setting it to the side and pulled the pants on. That was easier to manage, tying the little ties on the side to tighten it across his hips. It was actually a comfortable linen fabric, cooling against his skin and the hot humidity in the air.

“That...you had to choose-”

“Not your fault, Lelouch,” Suzaku interrupted quietly. “Please don't apologize.”

Lelouch fell silent, staring at Suzaku for a moment as he walked over to take the fluffy looking thing and start spreading it out onto the ground. Lelouch turned back and picked at the top half of the _jinbei_ , sliding his arms in before he stared at the small ties, wondering how he was supposed to button the thing up.

“Here,” Suzaku's voice startled him before his fingers suddenly were moving the fabric into the right position and quickly tying it up so that now it hung properly off of his shoulders. Lelouch looked up, his breaths steady as he stared up into his friend's eyes. Those same green eyes were still pain-filled, but Suzaku avoided looking at him.

“Hey...” he started quietly.

“Yeah?” Suzaku still wouldn't look at him.

“Are you...” Lelouch didn't finish as he realized it was kind of a useless question. Instead, he reached up with his free hand and gently caressed Suzaku's cheek. He felt the flinch and barest trembling as Suzaku's eyes darted away. Lelouch leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips, ignoring the sour taste of bile. He didn't expect a response as he pulled away. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

Suzaku trembled again before he suddenly let go of the ties he had been tying and grabbed Lelouch's face with both of his hands. He mashed their lips together in an incredibly forceful kiss that took Lelouch's breath away. Just as suddenly, Lelouch found those lips off of his own and even though they had tasted incredibly sour, he wanted them back. But he looked up to see Suzaku finally staring at him.

The emerald green that usually sparkled was dulled now, yet filled with an incredible amount of love in them that he had never seen before. He could drown in that gaze, he realized. Maybe he did want to drown...it wouldn't be a bad way to go.

“I love you,” Suzaku whispered fiercely. “Don't forget that, okay?”

Lelouch smiled slightly. “Never. I love you too.”

Suzaku nodded, tears pooling at the corner of his eyes, refusing to let them fall before he released him and knelt down to continue spreading out the blanket. Lelouch watched as he expertly set out the futon, placing the pillow in the middle before settling the smaller blanket over it. He looked up, his eyes still shining with unshed tears.

Lelouch shook his head. “Doesn't look right...”

The barest crinkle of confusion passed through Suzaku's gaze before Lelouch walked over to the bed and pulled the blanket and pillow off of it before dragging it over to the futon, ruining the pristine spread that Suzaku had created. He unceremoniously dumped the pile and made a slight attempt to at least mimic what had been done.

“Better,” he grinned at his friend and saw him weakly chuckle.

“Better,” Suzaku agreed before reaching out to flick the lights off, plunging them into near darkness. At least the room was small enough so that Lelouch didn't have to walk too far before he fell to his knees and crawled into the blankets. He bumped into what had to be Suzaku's arm before something curled into him.

He settled himself onto the pillow, the warm body of his partner pressing into his own as the two of them settled into makeshift bed. He could feel Suzaku's breath against his own chest, the slight dampness as the tears his friend had been holding back now spilling as he silently cried.

Lelouch held onto him, whispering words of reassurance and sending his love and warmth through their bond. There was sorrow that hummed a sour note through them, but it was not only sorrow for the last night of the scion of the Kururugi in the place he had grown up in, but of a loss of family and of place. Suzaku had finally made his choice and Lelouch could only be there for him to guide him into the unknown future.

_I've got you...I've always got you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ends The Media Tour (From Hell) Arc. There is an annex chapter which is a bit of an easter egg/coda to this. Notes on the Arc have also been posted with the Kaiju Universe notes.
> 
> Opening Theme: access - "Hitomi no Tsubasa"  
> Ending Theme: Egoist - "Fallen"


	8. The Media Tour Arc Finale - Annex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an easter egg chapter if you will (or supplemental) in Suzaku's POV in the aftermath of the disastrous dinner.

The faintly sweet, but familiar smell made him open his eyes to see hundreds, if not thousands of soft pink sakura petals float gently through the air. He held his hand up, marveling at how delicate they were as they drifted past him, even if they were out of season. He recognized this dreamscape, this _maboroshi_ – illusion, his mind and body attuned to the spiritual energy of Kururugi Shrine.

“Hello, nephew,” a soft voice called out. He turned to see an older man, perhaps in his late-thirties, standing near the base of the sakura tree. He was dressed in a simple beige trenchcoat with a pair of dark pants and equally dark shirt. Gloves that used to be on the man's hands were no longer there and the barest glint of an inverted pentagram was seen on the back of one of the hands. The man had vivid green eyes, a shared family trait. But it seemed dulled now, hidden behind the sweet scent of sakura, bathing it with a tinge of pinkish-red and perhaps the flash of gold.

“Uncle,” he greeted formally with a polite bow. He lifted his head as he heard the distant memory of laughter and a cheery 'Uncle!' before the ghostly image of a much younger, more happier days passed by them, a young child-self hugging the very same man before him who was in his early twenties. It disappeared in a flash of sakura blossoms that whispered almost knife-like cutting remarks.

He watched as the man before him placed a hand onto the tree, seemingly calming it for a moment before its branches shook a little.

“It's dangerous here,” he warned quietly and the older man smiled sadly.

“I know. He warned me too, but I insisted.”

“Why?”

“Nostalgia mostly. Plus, an apology. We felt the spiritual disturbance tonight near this spot.”

He looked away, shame flooding into him. He had almost-

The sudden smell of sakura flooded his nose, along with the very heady scent of a coppery splash – blood – filled the air and then he blinked. He looked up to see the sakura tree that was clearly the source of the _maboroshi_ swaying this way and that with his uncle frowning up at it.

“Please don't,” his uncle asked, his palm still resting on its bark. The tree shifted its branches as it was affronted, like a bird ruffling its feathers, before it settled again. The older man looked back at him. “I'm sorry. I have business I must attend to, but I insisted on seeing you first.”

“Apology?” he asked the older man before him.

“For the mess left behind. For causing you to lose your mother at an early age. All of it my selfish fault and for causing you the heartache you have now.”

He wet his lips a little, staring at the man who had disappeared from his life when he was just a child. It happened mere days after his mother had been found dead at the base of the shrine, displayed like a sacrifice. She had died dressed in the robes of an onmyoji. He had never seen her dressed in such robes; the blue dashed over the pure snow white of the fabric – all hideously ruined by the bloom of blood in the middle of her chest. There had been a single out-of-season sakura petal resting on her robe, as if it laid claim to her body, spirit and soul.

“You would do it all over again,” he stated.

“I would,” his uncle nodded.

“Why?”

“The very same reason you picked your path. The man who now holds you tightly like you belong to him and he belongs to you. The choice of selfishness and selflessness. Love is a poor apology of that word. But if given the choice...”

The burst of sakura sent echoes of the sensuality of sex that the two had engaged in, and he heard his own name being panted among the flurry of petals, his own voice calling that of his lover. But then, laughter, joy, the feeling of happiness, of belonging, of an acceptance that he had not felt before. All of it disappeared in a swirl of more petals and there was a seemingly cooing sigh from the tree itself.

The palm on the tree patted it gently, as if soothing it.

“Do you know what will happen?” he asked quietly.

“No,” his uncle shook his head. “Even now, my path is my own. I walk it and hope it is steady.”

“Alone?”

“Some times yes. Other times no. It is...a balance. I suppose.”

His brow crinkled. “Are you...happy?”

The faint smile, a reminder of happier days, so achingly familiar, flashed across the older man's face and there was the burst of warmth, a reminder of more innocent times where they had played tag together – using his uncle's shiki of course – he loved the shiki and how they flew, seemingly invisible to everyone but a select few.

“I am. Because it was a choice _I_ made.”

“Some call you selfish.”

“All call me selfish.”

He nodded in agreement and sighed. Looking down for a few minutes, he pondered the events that had led to this point. He blinked a couple of times and looked back up. “I do not accept your apology Uncle,” he shook his head. “I cannot...”

He looked up to see the older man with a sad smile on his face as he nodded his acceptance of his fate. There was another burst of sakura petals and he knew the _maboroshi_ was coming to an end. He could feel the tethers of spiritual energy that washed him into this dreamscape slowly undoing themselves. “Uncle Subaru!” he called out, finally using the name that he had been forbidden to speak of for years by his family and by the family that had been betrayed in such horrible way.

Subaru Sumeragi, the former 13th Head of the Sumeragi clan looked up at his nephew, Suzaku Kururugi, the scion and heir to the Kururugi clan.

“Thank you,” Suzaku bowed deeply as the _maboroshi_ ended. He received the faint impression of gratefulness followed swiftly by the sudden feeling of _power_ behind it. A faint smile appeared on Suzaku's face as he knew whom the power belonged to. The Sakurazukamori – the Sumeragi's mortal enemies – and his uncle's beloved.


	9. Knight Arc - Part I

There was no time to rest when they returned to Anchorage. Virtual simulations and training took top priority and both Suzaku and Lelouch threw themselves harder into making sure that they were ready come the day Gipsy Danger was finished. They had a bad RABIT the first time back in the simulators; Suzaku reliving the moment he had almost killed his father with the naked – and sharpened – katana. The Gages had been quite alarmed as had Euphie and the rest of their technical crew, but Lelouch had merely glared at them and they wisely left it alone.

Suzaku had slowly come to terms with it over the next two weeks as they continued to practice more and more. He found acceptance and joy each time they Drifted and even in the morning calisthenics that Lelouch personally had set his own alarm to wake up and get his partner out of bed to continue doing, settling him back into his daily routine. He honestly hated waking up that early, but if it was to make sure Suzaku could settle and not think of that disastrous dinner, then anything was up for grabs.

He also tried to draw focus to the honestly fun time they had in the scant few hours they had been let loose upon Tokyo. Suzaku was insistent that it was a date – even though he had been quite shy when Lelouch had first proposed it at that moment. Lelouch merely shrugged and refused to label it per his custom.

He knew Suzaku was doing a lot better when one evening, when they had settled into bed, his friend had surprised him by exploring what he meant when he had licked the chocolate off of his fingers, going down on him. Lelouch eagerly returned the favor – a little awkward about it considering it was his first time – and they both had laughed about it afterwards, snuggling into one another, sated and content.

The gifts that they had gotten for their friends, charms, cellphone keychains, snacks and candy had been appreciated by everyone. The Gages loved their cellphone charms, but contrary to what Lelouch and Suzaku had hoped to accomplish to help them identify which twin was which, they noticed the next day the twins had  _ switched _ the keychains. And switched it the day after and after that.

Lelouch was very close to giving up and naming the twins Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum and didn't care which one was Bruce or which one was Trevin at this point. Dr. Lightcap had been right – they were the Terrible Two Knights.

Siegfried Kai officially launched towards the end of August in Pendragon to much fanfare and the crew of Gipsy Danger received their first official week and half of leave.

“You going to Hawai'i?” Suzaku asked as they ate dinner in the mess hall.

“Yeah, early tomorrow morning. You sure you don't want to come?” Lelouch absently flicked a few things on his PDA. “Nunnally would love to see you.” He kept his voice low, but there was little to no instance of them being overheard, not over the din of so many people eating dinner. Most of Gipsy Danger's crew took their breaks at the same time, coming out of simulations or meetings in recent weeks. They were occasionally joined by Romeo Blue's crews, but most of the time they did not overlap.

“It's time for you and her to bond, Lelouch,” Suzaku shook his head. “I don't want to take away from that-”

“You won't,” Lelouch glanced up to see Suzaku chewing on a roll. He pointed with a finger towards the corner of his partner's lips.

“Hmm? Oh thanks,” Suzaku wiped away the apparent crumb from the bread off of his face. “I know I won't, but I'd like to think that while I cherish you here, I also am not selfish enough to know that you cherish her even more. And since I see and have you for all this time, you get so little time with her. I also know you well enough that you like spending time with her even without Sayoko there. Just the two of you.”

Lelouch chuckled and nodded. “...Yeah. I suppose your right.” He rested his chin on his hand. “So, you staying on base?”

“Yeah. Euphie's asked if she can use me as an excuse. She's trying to avoid Cornelia's request to attend a party at Menra Villa during the leave.”

“Party?”

“Celebration of Siegfried Kai's pilots. She said we should have also gotten an invite considering all pilots were invited?”

“Oh,” Lelouch frowned as he glanced down at his PDA and flicked a few windows open before he smiled slightly. “Err...it got automatically put into my trash.”

Suzaku rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You trash Cornelia's emails?”

“No...oh, wait, it got sent from the Pendragon servers. Yeah, that one I set a script to automatically trash.”

“Of course you did,” Suzaku replied faintly with a chuckle.

“What has my brother done now?” Euphie's voice spoke up and he looked to see her walking over with a tray of food.

“Wait.” Lelouch frowned. “What makes you think I've done anything-”

“Did you know he automatically sets scripts to send any email or notification from Pendragon to his trash?” Suzaku said at the same time.

“Oh, yes, that doesn't surprise me,” Euphie grinned as she sat down next to Suzaku before she turned to Lelouch, “and brother dear, every time you attempt something clever or an idea comes to you, Suzaku here gets a mildly interested look on his face.”

Lelouch laughed as his partner straightened, a red flush creeping up his neck.

“Not in that- okay, maybe yes, but Suzaku, it's not always  _ like _ that,” Euphie shook her head. “Seriously. It's not always innuendo.”

The flush crept further up Suzaku's neck and was starting to hit his face. “Sorry...” he muttered.

“It's more of the fact that you honestly look like you're contemplating hitting Lelouch for one of his hair-brained – occasionally really smart – ideas or about to join him,” Euphie said primly as she started to dig into her food.

The flush died immediately as Suzaku nodded. “Oh...” he made a small noise of contemplation. “Never really saw it that way.” Lelouch suppressed the snort as Euphie had confirmed something he had been thinking about since the Britannian tour. Part of him wanted to test the theory, but it would be a pleasant surprise if it happened.

“You've a more visible tell,” Euphie smiled. “It's honestly cute. Also, gives us poor people who can't think as fast as my brother here a chance to at least catch up to what he's thinking.”

“I explain my reasoning.”

“Yes you do, but you, me and Suzaku all know that you think several more steps ahead and  _ don't _ explain those parts.”

Lelouch frowned, a little disgruntled with the fact that Euphie was correct. He rolled his eyes. “And I suppose you avoiding the party invite when you're a social butterfly has nothing to do with avoiding our gossipy siblings, or because the Knights of Two are going to be there too?”

Euphie raised an eyebrow, stabbing a green bean with her fork. “Seriously, Lelouch? You're not going to let that go? It was  _ one _ dance.”

“With my sister,” Lelouch shook his head. He saw Suzaku sigh and rub his eyebrow, a little exasperated.

“Not talking about this with you,” Euphie childishly stuck a finger in her ear while her other one fed more food into her mouth. “Not talking about this at all,” she all but sang.

Lelouch merely stared at her antics for a few minutes before she stopped her singing and grinned at him. “Cornelia wants you to get a Knight, doesn't she?” he asked and the smile she had on her face vanished as she nodded. She looked annoyed.

“Hence I'm using your partner here as an excuse to stay,” Euphie pushed her food around her plate.

Lelouch glanced at Suzaku who shrugged. “I did want to go over some of the weapon specs with Euphie and the team that we didn't get to touch on during the meetings this week.”

“Be careful,” he warned, turning back towards Euphie. He knew she wouldn't actually ask Suzaku to be her Knight – they had too much respect for each other to do such a thing at this point in their lives and their relationship.

“I know. One-time excuse only,” Euphie grimaced before she patted Suzaku on the shoulder. “Sorry...”

“I'm missing something here aren't I?” Suzaku looked confused. “Britannia family politics?”

Lelouch nodded. “Hard to avoid with the two of us on Gipsy's team.”

“Not an issue, but kind of wished I can get a better nuance grasp of it,” his partner replied.

“Let's just say right now I'm avoiding Cornelia's and by extension some of the other family members' requests that I take a Knight. It's more to do with the fact that I'm about to come of age in October and being posted away from Pendragon than anything else.”

“I thought eighteen was the legal age?”

“Seventeen is for PPDC recruitment,” Lelouch shook his head. “Mostly the age when high schoolers in Britannia and other countries graduate and consider going into higher education or into the work force. Eighteen is the technical legal age of majority in Britannia. Unofficially, seventeen since Gino Weinberg was recruited as the Knight of Three.”

“It's twenty in Japan. I don't know why that old,” Suzaku offered. “So, most royals take a Knight then?”

“Only if we're posted away from Pendragon or from the Britannian Homeland. Some of my siblings have Knights earlier than that, but it's dependent on the circumstances. Cornelia picked Guilford when she was accepted into the military academy, but she already had Darlton since childhood because she insisted on going to the front lines to study strategy with a Round or something. I didn't get one when I applied to Jaeger Academy because they thought I'd be Drifting with one of the other Britannians there – who might have been elevated to Knighthood if it was successful.”

Lelouch and Suzaku shared a quick glance, remembering the Purist factions' attempts to 'protect' Euphie as well as their own failures to Drift with her.

“Cornelia's within her rights to insist Euphie,” Lelouch said quietly. “You can't fault her for that.”

Euphie sighed, absently building a small shield volcano with her leftover mashed potatoes and her fork. She was using her green beans as a barrier to stop the collapse of the volcano. “She is, hence why I'm both avoiding her, but also attempting to quell her nagging.”

“A dance with a Knight of the Round is hardly the way to quell her nagging, Euphie,” Lelouch raised an eyebrow at her. She glared at him over the rim of the cup of water in front of her along his line of sight.

“Oh...is that why-” Suzaku started, but Euphie shook her head.

“Trevin is nice, he's honestly a gentleman. I don't see him as one of the Emperor's Knights. And don't you start-”

“I wasn't even-”

“I know you, brother,” Euphie set her cup down and pointed her fork at him. “Don't start.”

He held up his hands, seemingly warding away her fork which had gone back to digging the open magma chamber of the volcano.

“So...” Suzaku started thoughtfully. “Let me see if I can get this straight. I'm being used as an excuse – don't worry Euphie, I'm not angry about it, that's what friends are for anyways – so that maybe the rumor will float to Cornelia that you're considering certain people as possible Knight candidates...err, I guess a good word for it?”

“Yes,” Euphie gave up on her volcano and decided to mash it into the ground. She sighed and huffed an annoyed breath. “Sorry...I don't-”

“It's fine,” Suzaku smiled. “I'm happy if it helps you.”

“Yeah, but it's a one time only excuse. If...” Euphie licked her lips and glanced at Lelouch. “It's not going to go well if I use you as an excuse again.”

Suzaku glanced at him and he shrugged. He knew what Euphie meant and was grateful that she knew some of the more...unsettling and salacious rumors that might spring up if Suzaku was placed in such a situation.

“I take it 'well' is an understatement?” A brown eyebrow rose up over green eyes.

“Yeah...” Euphie sighed. “I don't want a Knight... I have you two...I don't want one...” She buried her head into the crook of her elbow as her other hand gripped her fork and made absent stabbing motions onto her plate. Suzaku reached out to pat her consolingly on her shoulder.

Lelouch didn't reach out. There was nothing he could offer, both as an excuse or as comfort. Suggesting to Euphie that she potentially look at any of their crew members as a Knight was both crass and unfair. It meant the person would have to abandon their position and serve right alongside her. They couldn't ask that of any of their teammates. Bringing in someone from outside, while might inherently be a better option, but then would be privy to a lot of the secrets Lelouch did not want exposed. While he had no doubts the Knight would be loyal to Euphie, they were ultimately beholden to Pendragon and the throne. The loyalty factor would have been better if Euphie successfully Drifted with her chosen Knight.

It was also partially why Lelouch disliked that Euphie had even considered a dance with Trevin Gage. While he respected and thought of the Gages as mentors and freely discussed certain matters with them, he was also well aware that they were the Emperor's Knights. They were beholden to  _ his _ orders. And if for whatever reason the Emperor wished it, they were supposed to obey and carry out those orders without question – even if the Emperor one day decided that Lelouch was a nuisance and wanted to end his life. No child of the Emperor was immune from that kind of threat, but most of them didn't quite think of it in that sense – except probably Schneizel.

“What's so pressing about getting a Knight? I mean, maybe besides the obvious?” Suzaku asked. “Protection I mean...”

Lelouch glanced at Euphie who was still making absent stabbing motions with her fork, but the bed of hair nodded her assent for him to explain. He looked at Suzaku. “Knights are first and foremost for protection. Usually from assassins or anyone that may hurt the royal whether its fellow family members or even an accidental slip of silverware or something.”

“Really?”

“Princess Guinevere is...peculiar about her Knights doing that for her,” Lelouch remembered the one banquet he had attended with her in attendance and it had been utterly bizarre to witness her Knights going about making sure she was as pampered as a poodle. He distinctively remembered sitting next to his mother and her running commentary on Guinevere the whole night. It honestly had made it far more enjoyable if not baffling.

Suzaku wisely did not say anything and just nodded.

“Knights can serve in different capacities too. Usually like a personal assistant, caretaker, that sort of thing. Housekeepers if they're really adamant about it.”

“Which one?”

“Hmm? Oh, er...Carine I think-”

“Carine,” was the muffled reply from Euphie.

“Does she have actual servants I guess...?”

“She does. But its her way of asserting her...authority over her family name.”

“You royals are weird.”

Lelouch snorted and even Euphie did too.

“Knights mostly act as extensions of their royal's will. They carry the voice and authority of the commands. It's an honored position and why a Knight must be carefully vetted. The power they actually hold is pretty great as is the trust of the royal they have pledged their service to. Guilford could theoretically order a bunch of the Glaston Knights he commands or any of Cornelia's troops to go attack such and such country without her knowledge and just say it was on her orders.”

“But he wouldn't-”

“No,” Lelouch shook his head. “But the power there is ripe for abuse if one's not carefully vetted.”

“Schneizel uses his Knight for spying,” Euphie's voice was still muffled, but she sounded more coherent. She had also stopped making stabbing motions with her fork. She lifted her chin and rested it on her arm, her hair now pooling down past the table.

“Kanon? But I thought-”

“He's not a Knight,” Lelouch raised an eyebrow at Euphie. “Technically.”

“He is all but in name,” she countered. “I'm surprised the Emperor hasn't pushed the issue.”

“Probably because Schneizel's efficient as a Prime Minister, he's got the backing of his ASEEC, and because of Kanon.”

“So...clout?”

“Probably. We're not really sure,” Euphie shook her head. “Honestly no one knows, nor does anyone ask. It's...not really talked about.”

Lelouch glanced to see Suzaku with his brow furrowed. He wondered if his friend was thinking of the last time he had told him about Kanon being his brother's assistant in all things public and private. “There is also the matter that Schneizel is the Second Prince. So he was born in a time where the Emperor didn't have kids like rabbits do.”

“Lelouch, that's so crude-”

“It's true,” he shot back at his sister who only shook her head and stuck her tongue out at him. He softened it with a smile to show that he was only half-joking.

“So...I guess, the Knights of the Round...” Suzaku looked thoughtful again.

“The twins are different,” Euphie immediately piped up. “And you know it Lelouch.”

“I do, but when push comes to shove...” he trailed off with an eyebrow raised at her. She huffed and looked away.

“So I guess, how long can you defer, Euphie?” Suzaku didn't bother commentating on their quick little spat.

“Not long enough,” she sighed, looking back at them again. “I can always defer and reference the Gages as protectors since they are the Emperor's Knights and are stationed with us. The Emperor does have a vested interest in some of his children and by extension, Cornelia is one of his favorites. Cornelia will buy that at least. But once we play musical Shatterdomes and we're posted away? She's going to insist and press the issue before raising holy hell and even probably going to the Emperor to force it to happen.”

Lelouch saw Suzaku glance at him, the unspoken question of why on his lips and he shook his head. He would explain it to him later. But Lelouch also knew why Cornelia would force the issue. It all had to do with the Third Princess' experience at Jaeger Academy. Tohdoh had told him and Euphie that Cornelia had been attacked by one of the non-Britannians and if circumstances added up, Guilford had not been in time to save her and she had been forced to use the weapon of last resort – her  _ gom jabbar _ . The result more than likely made Cornelia leery of non-Britannians among a Britannian Princess which was why she was also nagging Euphie now.

Euphie let out a ragged sigh before twisting her head a little, showing a small hair-band like object that could have been one of her hair ties to hold up her mess of braids and thick pink hair. “It's also to do with this,” she pointed vaguely towards the particular object in her hair.

Lelouch saw the moment Suzaku realized what she meant as his expression closed a little and he frowned. “...Oh...” While he was not sure what his partner and Euphie had talked when she had explained to him about the weapon of last resort, he did not miss the significant look his partner had shot to Euphie in that moment.

Euphie sighed again. “I don't want a Knight...”

“So don't think about it right now,” Lelouch offered his half-sister. “Use the excuse that Suzaku's going to give you and think about it later. No use beating yourself up over it at the moment Euphie.”

“Uh huh...” Euphie sighed and propped her chin up on her forearm before she looked at them. “Hey...I just realized something. This is the first time the two of you are going to be far apart, right?”

Lelouch started, lifting his head. He blinked and glanced over to Suzaku who nodded. This was the first time since they started Drifting that they were going to be very far apart. The farthest was separate bedrooms during their tours and even then, it had only been one or two nights.

“I don't think there's any dire effects...” he trailed off.

“No, Drifting doesn't work that way, but it's interesting since other pilot pairs have done it. Tohdoh and Nagisa spent time apart recently, remember? So no dire effects, but seriously, I just realized the two of you have been pretty much glued together since start of Term 3...even before then.”

“I mean, we're only a phone call away,” Lelouch shrugged and Suzaku nodded. “Plus, don't all healthy relationship have people spending some time away from one another?”

“It happens,” Suzaku agreed, but he had a slightly impish smile. “Maybe a more private phone call then?”

Lelouch felt himself burning up as Euphie gasped and started to laugh. He could not believe that his partner had threw out a  _ line _ like that. He coughed and glared at him.

“I'm not picking up the phone then,” he threatened.

Suzaku shrugged. “Your loss,” he did not seem so put out by the threat and made a slight gesture in the hand signals that sent Lelouch flushing even further. Euphie laughed harder, having caught the signal.

“Oh, geez...wow,” she managed to get out. “Okay...well...I'm going go, finish my dinner  _ elsewhere _ -”

“Nah, it's okay. Stay Euphie. Please. I was only teasing,” Suzaku shook his head. “You do know how hard it is to get Lelouch to react to  _ anything _ right?”

Euphie laughed again. “Yeah. Thanks for cheering me up.”

Lelouch managed to tamp heavily down on the embarrassment that he felt from Suzaku's teasing before shaking his head. “Time away is good,” he grounded out. He was trying to think of a million ways he could get his friend back for the innuendo-laced joke he had unleashed.

“I'll make sure to book a meeting twelve hours...would twelve do, Suzaku? After Lelouch returns,” Euphie suddenly chimed in and he groaned.

“Euphie...”

“Sorry, so not sorry,” she laughed again. Even Suzaku laughed, but he noticed that he didn't answer her.

He rolled his eyes and glared at the two. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all of that. I'm going to go pack while the two of you hyenas keep laughing it up here.” He shook his head as he got up from the table. He softened his glare to show that it had been in all good and fun, but he honestly needed to leave to pack before his flight out in a few hours. Waving a goodbye to them, he left in much better spirits and happier to see Nunnally.

* * *

When he landed in Oahu, the first thing he did was present to his beloved younger sister the cellphone charm locket that Suzaku had picked out with the picture of the two of them on one side. On the other, he made sure to put a candid picture of Euphie that Suzaku had taken of her one day. Nunnally could not stop showing it off and making noises of appreciation the whole week and a half even though she could not see the pictures. However, he heard the small musical charm that came with it. That was also then that Lelouch knew it was time to bring Euphie in on his most precious secret and let his two sisters reunite – Knight or no Knight.

* * *

The time off gave the crew of Gipsy Danger a chance of respite, but it didn't last long as two days after everyone returned, an Orange Alert was issued. A kaiju had been spotted and K-Watch was currently reporting that it was making for the western side of the Pacific once again. Its name was Itak and Lelouch thought it pretty apt for the Tagalog word for a bolo knife.

All simulations were suspended for the duration of the Alert as Jumphawk crews prepared for deployment. Milly, Rivalz and their crew were also being pre-deployed to help Romeo Blue's. The Gages were launched to cover the area surrounding the Academy down to Vancouver. Siefried Kai was run up from Pendragon to cover Vancouver all the way down to Pendragon and Vincent Gloucester Pendragon downward. Lelouch realized that there was a small chance Jeremiah and Villetta were to see combat first before they did.

He was a little jealous.

But he pushed it aside as he and Suzaku stationed themselves in LOCENT, observing both Romeo Blue's crew as they went through the procedures to make sure their pilots were all set. Euphie and her crew were helping with information flow and communication with Pendragon, Hong Kong and the partially completed Tokyo Shatterdome. Marshal Gu and Tohdoh of their respective Shatterdomes were chairing the deployments on the western side of the Pacific.

Lelouch found himself wandering to the back of LOCENT where the war map was along with information from K-Watch. He brought up ocean currents map and the projections, noting that the lines were converging on a similar path as Onibaba had back in May.

“LOCENT, Blue here,” one of the twins spoke up. “Make a note to Schneizel to up the budget in K-Watch's sonars. These images suck. Do we have anything better of Itak?”

“Stand by Blue, we're searching,” Amanda said before she turned in her chair. “Charlie, any luck?”

“Nope,” one of the other technicians shook his head. “Scrubbers aren't doing that well.”

Lelouch brought up the K-Watch files on the kaiju and glanced through them. He could barely make out the shadowed outline of the kaiju against the dark blue almost blackness of the photos snapped near the Mariana Trenches. The next few images showed the barest of outlines against relatively shallower water. It looked like it was from far away too, giving Itak a smaller profile than most kaiju. Maybe it was taking another path away from the sensors. He shook his head as he flipped back and forth between the images. The twins were right, these images really sucked.

Flicking the digital files to the side of the war table, he listened as the mild banter back and forth filtered in and out of LOCENT as he brought up the projection maps. It was still squiggly lines like a hurricane map, but the sudden beep of an alert instantly replaced the map with the familiar conical shape of a closer projection.

LOCENT came alive with Amanda and Euphie gathering the new data that was sent by K-Watch.

“K-Watch now predicting the same pattern as Onibaba-”

“Shit, the kid was right,” one of the twins said and Lelouch jerked, glancing behind him as he saw a few eyes turned towards him.

Suzaku's in particular was crinkled with some concern and Lelouch felt the small sliver of fear that passed between them. He shook his head. Even he did not want and hoped he was wrong that Itak was  _ not _ headed to Tokyo. Suzaku nodded silently before turning back to peer over Euphie's shoulder.

“Too early to say that Bruce,” Trevin admonished his brother, “the cone's still big-”

“But faster this time,” the other twin cut in. “Onibaba took hours. This one is making a beeline-”

“Blue, new deployment orders. Cherno Alpha is moving to support Tokyo in the Yokohama Harbor Miracle Mile now, in anticipation of possible projected hit on Tokyo. Tacit Ronin is moving to the Kyushu, but with Jumphawks ready to lift to Tokyo if necessary. We're lifting Blue to Attu Island on the edges of the Alaskan coast. You'll be holding ground there. Siegfried Kai is being run up to cover our six and the Academy Grounds if necessary,” Amanda's voice was steady, calm.

“Blue here, acknowledged LOCENT.” Gone were the easygoing mannerisms from the twins and instantly replaced with a cold hardness. Lelouch was reminded that the twins came from the military – specifically the Britannian military. They were hardened veterans of combat.

“Hawk Prime and fleet, you have a go for operations,” Amanda called out.

“Hawk Prime, acknowledged.”

“Gipsy Hawk Prime, take your fleet to point two south of Attu Island. Scouting run, use the infared as the sunlight wanes,” Amanda called out.

“R-Roger that, LOCENT,” Milly's voice trembled, but she acknowledged the order.

Lelouch tuned out the rest of the conversation as he turned back to the maps and swept his hand over the ocean currents and cone of projection that had replaced the squiggly lines of earlier projection theories. He really did not want it to be Tokyo – it had only been a fifty-fifty shot. At the same time as much as he did not want it to be Tokyo, if it was – then they had another data point to weigh against future kaiju attacks.

He frowned, the urban runoff was too much.

Shanghai, Seoul, Nagasaki...all of them were high. The cone projected towards the same path as Onibaba, but quicker now. Faster...he wondered why. The ocean temperatures were still holding onto the tropical warmth for the year, September only starting the change of seasons above the ocean. It would be another month or two before the water temperatures dipped lower, allowing whatever urban runoff to lessen for some of the coastal cities. It would be the trade winds that would be taken into account after that; along with eyeing the southern hemisphere as the seasons changed to their warmer months.

He made a clicking noise in the back of his tongue as he brought the images of Itak over again, trying to discern something about the grainy features against the darkness of the ocean. He rubbed his eyes, trying to blink the sleep out of them. They had an early day, the first on simulators, though thankfully without Gipsy's Jumphawks for this one. It had been drivesuit training, letting Shirley adjust input and Pons fluid levels to ensure maximum operational status.

Euphie and the others had adjusted their settings in LOCENT while they had been hanging and going through the motions in the rig. Not so much hard work except it was rather tiring to just hang in the rig, make some movement and test feedback. Really mundane things that somehow exhausted him. Suzaku didn't seem phased, but Euphie had just chalked it up to the fact that he liked to be figuring out things and not doing that didn't stimulate his mind.

Now it was nearing four in the morning PPDC Zulu, four hours after the Orange Alert had been issued and Lelouch was tired. It was roughly eight at night Anchorage local. PPDC Zulu meant whatever Shatterdome was in command of the major deployments – either Pendragon or Hong Kong – but with the newer ones coming online, it would be whomever made first contact. Since Field Marshal Gu was senior to Tohdoh, Hong Kong served as current PPDC Zulu.

He rubbed his eyes again, staring at the grainy image before he frowned. The image was taken four hours ago by K-Watch near the Mariana Trenches. It would have been night time... He slid the map of the projection cone over, noting that it had shifted to a northwestern path, Seoul, the disputed seas between Japan and China and the southern part of Japan all on alert now. He heard radio chatter from LOCENT as new orders were barked out, but he wasn't really paying attention to any of it.

“Lelouch?” Suzaku's voice nearly startled him just as he found the files he was looking for and threw them open onto the war table. He felt his partner's hand touch him gently on the small of his back, his warm presence and concern pressing on their bond.

“Gimme a sec,” he muttered as he brought up the last few images of Onibaba, Reckoner and Karloff. They were the ones strictly taken by K-Watch. He enhanced them as he stared at their forms. They were grainy, but there was a more definitive outline. He felt the hand that was on his back lift and Suzaku moved to stand next to him. He rested his hands on the war table, also staring at the images.

“Whatcha got?”

“Something doesn't add up,” Lelouch muttered.

“I can feel that,” his partner replied and Lelouch merely glanced at him.

“These images, they're grainy, but there's more of an outline,” Lelouch rubbed his lip for a second before he used his fingers to zoom into the time stamps. He shook his head. “They're all different times too. There has to be a pattern here...” He gritted his teeth, annoyed, tired and frustrated. There was something definitely not right...

“Onibaba was dark, but you could see the glowing kaiju blood, right?” Suzaku wondered next to him, sliding an image of the familiar carapace taken by K-Watch. It had been a top-view image only, giving Onibaba a rather beetle like look to it. “Then Reckoner was tan and brown with yellow markings like Trespasser.” He slid over the image kaiju that had been chased to Hong Kong Shatterdome. It was from the same K-Watch camera as Onibaba.

“Yes...” Lelouch's frustration started to melt as he stared at the two images before he held his hand out to stop Suzaku from bringing the last one up of Karloff. “Hang on...” He scrolled through the images that K-Watch had taken of Itak and found one that he thought might match the pattern.

That's when it hit him. “Oh shit...” he breathed out, dread filling him. It couldn't be...but...it would be.

“Lelouch?” Suzaku asked again, but he was already moving, hurrying towards Euphie.

“Euphie,” he stopped next to her as she finished giving commands to Milly and her Jumphawk crews. “Euphie,” he flexed his fingers as she glanced up at him. Her cornflower blue eyes were a little alarmed.

“Lelouch, I'm-”

“Can you get Tohdoh or Gu on the horn? Maybe both of them?” He asked.

“...Why?” Euphie shot a quick look to Amanda at her LOCENT station next to her who was giving her an icy look. He knew he was interrupting whatever orders she was trying to coordinate with the Jumphawk crews, but it was imperative.

“Please, just- look. Just route them through, okay? I think...I-” Lelouch grimaced, “Just need to test out a hypothesis-”

“Ranger, it's not the time-”

“Please,” he ignored Amanda's clear admonishment.

Euphie sighed before typing away quickly, pinching her lips against the glare from her mentor and trainer, before she handed him two earpieces. “Go,” she said curtly and he nodded.

“Thank you,” he heard Suzaku murmur behind, but he was already sticking the earpiece in, the other handed to Suzaku as they went back to the war table.

There was a buzz of Chinese and Japanese mingled into the comms, so much that Lelouch couldn't quite understand what was being said.

“Er,” he cleared his throat.

“Who is this? Who's on this open channel?” a voice with a harsh accent that was nearly incomprehensible barked over the comms.

“Ranger Lamperouge, sir,” Lelouch said quickly. “I don't know if the Gages sent word about Tokyo-”

“Oh, you,” the voice said gruffly. “You better have a good reason to be on an open channel between Shatterdome commanders Ranger. This is normally reserved for strict communications.”

“I,” Lelouch swallowed, “I do sir. Uh, Marshal Gu, sir.” He took a breath and let it out slowly. “Is, uh, Marshal Tohdoh-”

“I'm here,” Tohdoh's voice was quiet, almost severe and Lelouch felt Suzaku stiffen beside him. He got a wash of  _ dread _ from his partner and realized that Tohdoh was  _ very _ angry that he was on the comms.

“Sirs,” Lelouch didn't know who else was on the comms, but now was not the time to worry about it. “Itak might be moving faster than we think.”

“Come again?” Gu barked.

“Sir, how does K-Watch recognize when kaiju move? We have sonars, buoys, and readings along with potential camera footage-”

“I know how we see them. Get to the point Ranger!”

“Sir, Itak is dark, maybe black,” Lelouch plowed on. “This footage taken by K-Watch was at night. Depending on the sensors set up, it might have thought that maybe it was just a local water creature or something, not recognizing the dark shape to be a kaiju. However, if the radiation levels, earthquake sensors or whatever other instruments we have down there can correlate-”

There was a sound of something muffled before Tohdoh's voice was barking incomprehensible words before the scratching sound came back.

“What are you saying Ranger? That K-Watch can't predict when this thing will hit?” Gu was not happy.

“I'm just saying that Itak may be moving faster than we think. Its form was barely recognized on the K-Watch photos. It looks smaller than any of the other kaiju we've faced-”

“So?”

“It's dark now, in Japan and China. We have some infrared, but do we have enough?”

“The radiation levels-”

“Only say so much because it could be a low level, right?” Lelouch stopped as he felt Suzaku's hand grabbing his arm. His friend was shaking his head, eyes wide with fear and he realized belatedly that he had cut off a Field Marshal. In the middle of an argument. When he was a newly minted  _ junior _ Ranger just a few months out of Jaeger Academy. “I, uh, I'm sorry sir-” he hastily started before a squeal came over the comms and the two of them winced at the feedback.

“Ronin, LOCENT Command here,” Tohdoh said gruffly. “Have your Jumphawks spread down to Kagoshima and up to Kochi. Lucky Seven, Jumphawks all the way to Jeju, infared.”

“Tohdoh-” Gu started.

“As ordered,” Kaori and Duc's voice acknowledged.

“Got it,” the dual voice of Gino Weinberg and his partner – whomever it was – reverberated. There were two squeals and for a moment Lelouch held his breath, wondering what was happening.

It was an agonizing half an hour before Kaori's voice came back. “LOCENT Command, we're getting some unusual chatter from the JDF stationed around Kagoshima and Miyzaki. They're...saying that something's been making noise for the last hour or so like a really loud lonely whale-  _ holy shit! _ ”

Lelouch's eyes shot up to Suzaku's in alarm before they both automatically hunched down and pressed the earpieces closer into their ears as if they could try to hear and somehow _see_ what was happening.

“LOCENT, Ronin here, kaiju spotted! Repeat, kaiju spotted! It's taken out the carriers  _ Akagi _ and  _ Shokoku _ ! We're moving to engage! Twenty minutes until we reach Miyazaki!”

“Blue, LOCENT, Red Alert! Red Alert! We're moving you to north Japan now. Gipsy Jumphawks, disengage and return to base. Repeat, disengage and return to base. Euphie, you have the comms to follow through with your Jumphawks.” Amanda suddenly said loudly.

“LOCENT, Blue, wilco. Handshake holding steady, we're inbound, three hours,” the twins said their voices steady.

Images, ones similar to those projected during the Onibaba attack suddenly popped up across both LOCENT stations. They were grainy, green-colored as the Jumphawks all engaged in their low-light and infared sensors. Lelouch watched, horrified and fascinated as the image showed an incredibly dark blot, smaller than the average kaiju absolutely wrecking havoc on the port city of Miyazaki. Missiles, flares, all kinds of ordnance flew towards the kaiju as the Japanese fleet tried to shell it to death.

A Jumphawk was focused on Tacit Ronin's form as it leap through emptied streets, crushing cars, highways and patches of both rice fields and farmland as it tried to get to the city of Miyazaki to save it. In his ear, he heard the squeals of comms disengaging and pulled out the earpiece, setting it on the war table. There was no need for it, now that Itak had shown itself.

He watched as the scouting Jumphawks tried to get a good light source on the incredibly dark kaiju. It blended so well against the night and shadows. There was barely anything to discern it from the inky darkness except for a single wide streak of blue that ran like a line down from somewhere in the sky to just above the ground. All one could see is it destroying buildings, small explosions of cars that it ran over, the missiles that tried to hit it along with the flashes of large caliber bullets trying to hit it, but nothing seemed to phase it.

One of the Jumphawks suddenly seemingly glinted over something and Lelouch saw it just as Amanda leaned forward in her seat.

“Romeo Blue LOCENT here, the thing's got knife-like weapons!” she called out.

“LOCENT Command acknowledges as does Ronin LOCENT,” Gu's voice called back. Lelouch realized she had transmitted through the aforementioned command line.

Suddenly one of the Jumphawks camera shook before the static erupted in the feed.

“LOCENT Command, all Hawks get higher!” the command was echoed by Tohdoh and Gu at the same time.

“We've got debris flying,” Amanda muttered as she watched the screens like the others.

Lelouch finally saw what was happening with the kaiju. It had taken at least two of its knives – scythes really – and was cutting buildings, trees, anything and everything in its path down like mowing wheat in a field. He felt sick watching as it tore through Miyazaki bit by bit.

“Ronin, status?” Tohdoh barked over the comms.

“Five out, we can see the bastard right now. Not close enough for plasma cannon deployment,” Kaori and Duc replied.

“Go for close quarter, it's too narrow,” Tohdoh replied. “Can't risk hitting it from afar and hitting the fleets. Use it if you got a good placement.”

“Roger,” the two replied.

There was silence over the comms, but they watched as Tacit Ronin leapt over a highway before sliding feet first into the kaiju, upending it in a surprise attack as its twin fanged blades detached themselves from its forearms swinging forward on the joints to become its offensive weapons. Ronin sliced upwards, cutting through one of the kaiju's scythe-like hands before it sliced across the kaiju's abdomen with the other blade.

The kaiju leapt away and opened its maw, revealing an endless glowing blue tunnel as it seemingly screamed. It charged at Ronin who met it with both blades before kicking out to knock it to the ground. Trees and two buildings were smashed as a result, but Ronin sliced at it again. The kaiju retaliated, two cuts before a third one seemingly pierced the leg of Ronin.

Lelouch watched as the Jaeger stumbled, falling to the ground as it crashed into an interchange on the highway and rolled to the side, into a nearby hill trying to avoid being sliced. He couldn't believe that there was more than two blades on the kaiju as it snapped its maw angrily and kept attacking. Sparks flew this way and that; it was clear Ronin was outmatched when it came to the speed of the attacks. The Jaeger managed to get leverage as it rolled past another interchange as two appendages stabbed downward, trapping the kaiju momentarily.

Ronin hobbled to its feet. Sparks and wiring burned bright in the infared footage, the damage extensive on the Jaeger. It met Itak's next attack with two blades before it retracted one and sent a right hook into the kaijus's middle. Lelouch didn't quite see it due to the grainy nature of the infared, but the was a sudden splash of kaiju blue everywhere and the creature fell back once more on five appendages.

There were cheers in LOCENT and Lelouch shared a tight grin with Suzaku at what looked like a major wound on the kaiju. They watched as Ronin shuffled as best as it could a few steps left before suddenly dipping down. It came up with what looked like a rather large tree before it suddenly threw it.

The tree embedded itself into the kaiju's wound, spurting more blood. Just as a loud blaring horn followed by more footage showing Cherno Alpha running from the coastline and smashing into Itak.

The kaiju flew back, hitting a nearby hillside with so much force that it left an imprint on the dirt and grass and houses that had been instantly crushed. Lelouch watched, wide-eyed as the brutal heavy Jaeger sounded its horn again and smashed a giant fist into the kaiju's middle, opening the wound that Ronin had made into a bigger mess. Kaiju blue splashed everywhere as it continued to pound the creature into the hillside.

They watched, as Itak flailed, trying to cut its way into Cherno's fists, but its movements were slowing before suddenly, there was a flash of a bright blade and all movement stopped. Ronin limped into the frame of one of the Jumhawks, clutching the severed head or part of the head it looked like Itak's. The machine held it up, seemingly triumphant and Lelouch could imagine both Kaori and Duc roaring their might in the conn-pod as LOCENT exploded into cheers.

It was the best thing anyone had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look! There are actual kaiju vs Jaeger battles in this story! :D
> 
> The Knight Arc's Opening and Ending:  
> Opening: ONE OK ROCK - "Re:make"  
> Ending: Egoist - "Fallen"


	10. Knight Arc - Part II

“-and it will _stay_ on your records, am I clear?” Tohdoh's quiet tone that made the words seem even harsher.

“Sir, yes sir!” the four of them straightened. There was no other choice but acknowledgment of the demerit that they were all to receive on their permanent records. A black mark, one Lelouch knew was coming, but hadn't expected to get one this fast. Neither had he expected to rope in Suzaku and Euphie, nor Chief O'Neill of Romeo Blue.

“Chiefs, Ranger Kururugi, you are dismissed. Ranger Lamperouge, you stay,” Tohdoh raked them with a cold look as they saluted. The three aformentioned people left the war room.

Tohdoh had traveled from Tokyo to Anchorage to deliver the verbal reprimand, because Anchorage Shatterdome did not have an official Marshal yet. They were told they were getting one in a scant few weeks as applications and selections were finalized. He would be returning immediately afterwards to oversee repairs on the severely damaged Tacit Ronin and to settle Cherno Alpha's team into its new base of operations.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch saw the Gages waiting outside, also dressed in they grey uniforms. They peered in, but the quick shake of Tohdoh's head made them stay outside. The door slid close behind Suzaku who was the last one to leave.

Lelouch swallowed, feeling an uncomfortable lump settle in his throat as he stood at attention in front of Tohdoh. The monitors that were brought up for the briefing showed Field Marshal Gu, Schneizel and four others he did not recognize. The four wore military uniforms that were different than the PPDC. Three were Britannian style, the one that wasn't was a rather formal cut, but with more intricate braids of sorts hanging off of one shoulder.

They had not been introduced when Tohdoh had them report to the war room earlier, so there was more than likely not going to be introductions now. Instead, Lelouch studied the four unknown military people on the screen. Shatterdome commanders, he realized. They were the new Shatterdome commanders for Anchorage, Sydney and Lima. The fourth one he didn't recognize but figured perhaps it was Pendragon's commander. He thought Schneizel would have been the one in charge there.

“Ranger we have asked you to stay to explain yourself and your thought processes. Bear in mind, this is not to excuse your actions. We would like to know how you came to your conclusions and thought it imperative to _break_ protocols and chains of command on a whim,” Tohdoh looked at him with his hands clasped behind him. He spun on his heel and faced the video monitors, standing diagonally away from Lelouch, but also close enough his posture and intent was easily read.

Lelouch pursed his lips for a second before he nodded once. “I mean no disrespect with my actions,” he started staring at the assembled men and women before him. “The kaiju have been increasing in size since the latest attacks-”

“The Serizawa Scale,” Gu supplemented.

“Sir,” Lelouch nodded once. “So it stood to reason that those in K-Watch might have thought Itak to be a large Category 1 based on historical measurements.” He was careful to keep his wording neutral. The last thing he wanted to insinuate was that he knew better than K-Watch did – it would certainly get him a posting out of the Ranger Corps and into K-Watch.

“I, we-” he had to give Suzaku his credit where it was due. If he had not lined up the two photos of Reckoner and Onibaba from the same shot, the pattern wouldn't have been easily discerned. “-Happened upon photos that were taken at certain angles which we then discerned that Itak was a lot smaller and at the same time attacking at night. Because of the implied darker coloration, I thought there was a good chance he might have slipped past K-Watch's nets and used the night time and low visibility to its advantage.”

“Are you implying that the kaiju are smart?”

He blinked and stared at the female Britannian that had spoken. “The kaiju have two brains...”

“Yes, but having a brain does not mean it knows what to do, Ranger,” the woman continued. “It has proven to have shown no tactical knowledge or know-how when attacking. It is more animalistic in nature than actual thinking. Akin to a predator attempting to attack prey that they do not realize is prey.”

“Then why did it seemingly attack at night?”

“We know they are drawn towards the urban runoff-”

“With respect Marshal Kennedy, it has not been definitively proven.”

“Semantics, Marshal Tohdoh,” the woman waved her hand. “K-Science is adamant that urban runoff is one of the biggest factors. Combined with the advance knowledge that our Shatterdome constructions will create even more runoff and attract kaiju to the population centers, we must be aware of the risks!”

Lelouch bristled a little at the woman's tone. She sounded like she had known that the Shatterdomes' construction was going to create more runoff like he had predicted Tokyo-

“K-Science has already proven the theory of Shatterdome construction?” Tohdoh asked with a raised eyebrow.

The woman shrugged. “It should be proven soon.”

“For the sake of those who live there, I hope not,” Tohdoh shot back flatly.

Marshal Kennedy, to her credit, nodded once. “I apologize if there was such an insinuation. But my point stands in regards to the Shatterdome constructions.”

Lelouch blinked as he realized what Tohdoh meant. The Gages _had_ presented his original theory to the Marshals – through apparent proper channels whatever that meant – but Marshal Kennedy had tried to take it as her own credit. Lelouch was willing to bet she was from K-Science all the way and was looking to prove herself worthy of whatever Shatterdome she was to command.

“So you believed that Itak was moving far faster using the night and low visibility against us?”

“Possibly. But we would have to look at the historical data of date and time stamps of attacks from previous kaiju encounters,” Lelouch replied to Gu's question.

“It does give us another marker to work with if it proves true,” Schneizel's voice was smooth before anyone else could voice their protest. “Ranger, why did you come up with this theory?”

Lelouch frowned, wondering why his half-brother asked him that kind of question. He decided to answer truthfully. “I don't believe the kaiju are animalistic in the sense of predator and prey,” he said. “I don't have anything to back that up. They have two brains. We Rangers pilot a Jaeger and act like two brains. Surely there is a dominant one that is able to think before it acts.”

“And you believe that Itak was... _thinking_ of using its dark coloration against us?”

“Yes,” Lelouch took the plunge with his untested and honestly slightly hair-brained prediction. “Why wouldn't it? Each kaiju that has attacked looks vastly different than the previous one. The categories may be the same, the displacement of radiation and other markers just a little different from each, but could it not be said that each of the kaiju that has attack is a test of our defenses, of different ways and strategies to keep figuring out where we're the weakest?”

He was rewarded when Schneizel raised an elegant white-blond eyebrow. His purple eyes glittered and Lelouch felt a small swell of pride as he saw his older half-brother nod once – a sign that he was pleased.

“That...is preposterous!” one of the unnamed Marshals laughed.

“I agree,” Gu shook his head. “You're claiming intelligence? That these things can _think_?! There is nothing to back this! Why are we even listening-”

Schneizel held up a hand. “I agree.”

Lelouch blanched, feeling like he had just been slapped when his half-brother had just seemingly agreed with him. He stared, shocked.

“I agree,” Schneizel repeated, “but it is worth mentioning a version of this theory to the Board of Governors. It will certainly give us additional leverage to implement Marshal Tohdoh's plan for Jaeger deployment in Shatterdomes. We will still have a better tactical advantage and we can use it for propaganda if there are objections.”

Two of the unnamed Marshals folded their arms and made noises of agreement while Marshal Kennedy merely rolled her eyes and nodded. It seemed like she didn't want anything to do with propaganda.

“Now, that said,” Schneizel continued. “Ranger Lamperouge does have a point regarding defenses. I'd like to turn it to _our_ defenses in particular. We must have better consideration of the Rangers that are coming out and the Jaegers built for them. Itak's attack has shown that our Mark I and IIs are too specific. While they benefit, we do need more balanced Jaegers in order to have long range and close quarter attacks. My ASEEC can only do so much, so I will be putting a proposal before the Board for the member nations to be looking more towards balanced Jaegers. We will still need specialized versions, but we also must reconsider the curriculum if necessary regarding Ranger training.”

“It's sound, but there may not be buy in from countries like China and Australia. Australia in particular like their Jaegers to be fast. Not balanced,” Gu said. “China likes specific ones.”

“Which we will consider. Britannia may have more resources to build balanced ones and we will help the other countries, but it is something we must look at this juncture. It would help future plans, don't you agree?” Schneizel asked. Lelouch was rather impressed at how deftly his half-brother was commanding the conversation and the Shatterdome commanders too.

“Agreed,” Tohdoh nodded once. “Sirs, if there isn't anything else for the Ranger?”

Lelouch realized they were trying to kick him out. While he wanted to stay and listen, he also knew his place – the reprimand and demerit on his record just minutes ago still stinging.

“No, that is all. Thank you Ranger Lamperouge for your contributions. May I advise the next time there is a certain strategy or information you wish to let a Marshal know to please reach out through proper channels,” Schneizel smiled slightly and Lelouch pressed his lips together, annoyed at the seemingly pandering and pedantic tone, but saluted.

“Sirs,” he lowered his hand, turned and walked to the door. It slid open and he saw the Gages still standing around. They scrambled to attention before nodding beyond him. He turned slightly to see Tohdoh gesturing for the senior Rangers to enter as he exited.

The door slid shut behind them before slim fingers slipped through the crook of his elbow and he turned to see Euphie locking arms with him. “I saw Schneizel and the other Marshals in there...are you okay?”

Lelouch sighed. “Strategy...or lack there of,” he said. “Where's Suzaku?”

“Apologizing to Amanda on behalf of you,” Euphie replied with a small smile. “Also probably asking her what are the proper protocols. Normally theories and strategies aren't offered in the heat of battle to Marshals. They're transmitted to LOCENT and then developed from there.”

Lelouch sighed. “Sorry.”

She squeezed his arm against her own a little. “Don't be. It was sound. It made sense-”

“It got two Japanese carriers destroyed-”

“And more probably would have been if they didn't realize what you realized,” Euphie replied with a smile. “This probably won't be our first demerit right?”

Lelouch chuckled weakly. “I don't want to have your record-”

“And not Suzaku's?”

“He'll probably just follow my lead,” Lelouch admitted.

“True,” she replied with an impish smile. “But why not me? We're in this together. All of us.”

“All of us.”

* * *

In the weeks after Itak's attack, they trained harder than ever. The Romeo Blue team treated them coldly for a few days after they learned Lelouch had caused their J-Tech Chief to receive a demerit on her record. But it was smoothed over with diplomatic tact by the Gage twins and a firm reminder that the team were supposed to guide and help the newer team through trials such as these.

Lelouch appreciated the effortless way the Gages managed to navigate through the fraught waters and was reminded that while they were relatively easy going and seemingly had no vices, they too were masters of a sort of politics of the Shatterdome. It also eased some of the tensions when Milly had found out some juicy gossip that the Gages had about four demerits on their records already while Amanda's record was spotless. He wondered why that was, but Milly did not know. She did, however have a gleam in her eye that she was going to dig a little further.

As October rolled around, the teams stopped for a day to celebrate Euphie's birthday. Anchorage Shatterdome had pulled out the works for her, showering her with a surprise party. Lelouch encouraged Suzaku to dance with Euphie much to everyone's surprise and even grudgingly gave his unspoken permission for Euphie ask both Gage twins to dance instead of just Trevin – then again, he suspected Euphie would have asked them even if he didn't necessarily shoot them death glares throughout the night. He himself had danced with Amanda after some prodding by Suzaku before Milly took over as his partner followed by Shirley. A few other females apparently had asked him to dance and towards the end of the party, he was glaring at Suzaku for not even deigning to rescue him from the various dances he had been asked to participate in.

It was finally Euphie herself who had rescued him and both of them mutually decided to show off what royalty dancing was really like. The waltz had been rather elegant and Lelouch had been greatly reminded of his younger days when he had attended balls with his half-siblings or with his mother. By the end of it, no one could complain that royalty made dancing look like an art form – elegance and class making Euphie's birthday all the more sweeter.

Lelouch was fast asleep when he and Suzaku returned to their room and woke up with his feet still sore from all of the dancing he did. Suzaku was relentless and prodded him to get up to do morning calisthenics with his aching feet. It was definitely _not_ fair in his opinion that Suzaku had so much more stamina. His only consolation in the morning along with a giant cup of personally-brewed coffee was that Euphie looked even more tired than he did. She confessed that she stayed up talking with both twins and eventually with just Trevin.

Lelouch was not in a happy mood that morning and was viciously glad that the Romeo Blue team was on leave for the next week and a half after Euphie's birthday celebration. He was going to throttle the Trevin half of the Knights of Two when both returned. Suzaku had merely just raised an eyebrow and left it alone.

* * *

When Romeo Blue returned from their leave, the Shatterdome had two new additions: a Shatterdome Marshal and Knightmares. And Lelouch's mood soured even further – Marshal Henrietta Kennedy, the one that was clearly from K-Science and who had managed to both dismiss his ideas and insult him during the briefing.

She had a waspish face with steel grey-white hair and cold light eyes. Her features could have been severely beautiful if it wasn't for the constant glares she kept giving almost everyone. Her credentials were solid, years spent as a scientist studying marine predatory habits with an affinity for the deep sea predators like giant squids or creatures that roamed in the dark where no light hit the oceans.

It was natural for her to switch to kaiju when Trespasser attacked. She did not seem to have lost any family members, but she had been one of the first to volunteer and be drafted for her expertise and work on oceanic creatures in the initial planning stages for when they didn't know how to stop the rampaging Trespasser. Lelouch supposed from there, she probably made up part of the K-Science divisions working with Asplund and Chawla in the subdivisions of J-Tech.

She had been specifically approved by the Board to run Anchorage Shatterdome – promoted to Marshal even though she was clearly a civilian and had no known military experience. Lelouch did not know how he felt about that. On one hand, it was good in the sense that the Shatterdome was rewarding those that had expertise in matters regarding the kaiju war, on the other hand – he was unsure of how she would even consider military strikes or deployments of Jaegers.

“-And it according to the latest report from Chief li Britannia, your Jaeger will be fully operational by end of the month, is that correct?”

“Yes ma'am,” Lelouch stood at attention in her office. “Suzaku- er, Ranger Kururugi and I have scheduled ourselves to do a test run on October 30th to allow two days for Technician Fenette and her team to finalize drivesuit calibrations and to allow Chief li Britannia to make sure conn-pod configurations are optimal.”

The first thing he learned was that Marshal Kennedy did not tolerate anyone calling anyone else on a first name basis while they reported to her. Not even Ranger pairs. A very small part of him wondered if she was able to tell the Gages apart whenever they referred to each other. The other part was feeling rather annoyed by her peculiarities, but he forced himself to at least give her some benefit of the doubt. She was a Marshal. There was a chain of command, he reminded himself as a mantra.

“Two days? It should take at least both crews to finish one day,” Kennedy frowned. “Why two?”

Lelouch blinked. He opened his mouth to answer before she shook her head again.

“Make it one. Inexperience and delays won't get your crew up to deployment speed,” she shook her head and crossed out the one day.

“Ma'am, it's Gipsy's launch-”

“And if there are things that go wrong, we will address it then. One day should suffice.”

He blinked again. “Yes ma'am. Do you want us to send the updated schedule to our crew?”

“No, I'll handle,” she replied shortly before she seemingly peered at the schedule some more. She shook her head. “We'll have to divide some of these staffing methods up. They're not optimal-”

“Uh-”

She glanced up at him, a thin eyebrow raised and he closed his mouth. His first meeting with her and she was already giving him a look that said that he was treading dangerous territory by interrupting. “Why is...Technician Tamaki Shinichiro scheduled less than Technician Erin Wright?”

“He's been reviewing more material for the latest upgrades in the Pons-”

“Nope, that won't do. He needs the same hours as her. It's easier to learn by hand than by material review,” she made a few clicks and changes to the schedule.

“Ma'am, Technician Tamaki has let Chief li Britannia know that he needs the time-”

“And he can do it on his down time then,” she replied. “Honestly, the Chief can't baby her crew. And she also needs to switch more often with her Deputy Chief.” She sighed and made more changes.

Lelouch bit his tongue and fell silent as he watched move their schedules and training times around. He could tell it wasn't overtly harsh, but it was very strict. There was an equal share of time for all to work and learn, but there was no accounting for strategies to _help_ others learn.

“Ranger, you will also begin to put your afternoons to work in the Knightmare Frames that the Knights of Two returned with.”

“Just me?”

She glanced at him, her expression puzzled. “You expected Ranger Kururugi to fit inside the same cockpit?”

“No ma'am,” Lelouch could not even sense whether or not she was being factious or not with her comment. “Just wondering if Ranger Kururugi will also be joining in the exercises.”

“Well, he hardly has any Knightmare Frame training, so no.”

“And I do?” Lelouch raised an eyebrow.

“I was told that you simulated a few times on Knightmare Frames when you were a child and also piloted the Ganymede on occasion,” Kennedy stared at him. “There is also the matter of national security and because Knightmares are the Empire's property and weapons. I thought you'd would think of that first instead of your Drift partner and desire to stay with him at all times.”

Lelouch flushed a little at her words. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to not lash out at the Marshal. “Yes ma'am. I understand that it is national security. I was merely inquiring whether or not this would affect our preparations to launch Gipsy Danger.”

“Hardly. That's what the morning simulations are for,” she shrugged. “There is only so many times you can simulate before you need the real thing. You will report to the hanger bay each afternoon to be assigned a Knightmare for the duration of this testing period.”

“Testing period?”

“The Knights of Two have been requested by Dr. Asplund via Prince Schneizel to help test their new frames, the Bors and Lionel. Thus the need for trained Knightmare pilots.”

“I can be hardly called trained, ma'am,” Lelouch blinked.

“Nonetheless, you are one of the few on this base besides some of Romeo Blue's team that has been in the cockpit of a Knightmare, any Knightmare.” Kennedy looked at him her light eyes unwavering. “You are not to tell Ranger Kururugi about your experiences in the Knightmare.”

“He'll see it in the Drift.”

“Then don't let him see it.”

“Ma'am,” Lelouch pursed his lips, “that's not how it works-”

“I know how it works,” she cut him off. “If it comes up, move past it, refocus. Don't let him see it. You are a Ranger and you have Drifted. You know how RABITs work and how faint impressions may be fleeting. It may not be foolproof, but the onus is on you as a Ranger to ensure that state secrets do not get out.”

“Then wouldn't it be better for me to _not_ participate?”

“This is not an order you can decline without severe consequences, Ranger,” Kennedy's eyes bore into him. “This is from the Prime Minister of Britannia.”

Her wording was very clear. He was truly a civilian, or rather a Ranger and he had to obey the chain of command. It was eerily similar in ways to the threat Suzaku's father had attempted to hang over his son if he was to be posted to Tokyo Shatterdome. They could not do as they pleased. There was order and discipline in the military-like structure of the PPDC.

And Lelouch knew that he was somewhat trapped in it. He could complain to Schneizel, but it would probably get him nowhere and give his older half-brother an advantage over him. He had already burned up a favor with Schneizel regarding the media tour – even with all of his scheming to try to get out of the party and change in venue. Lohmeyer was given as a price for his attempts to haggle.

And now Kennedy...he was not sure if she reported to Schneizel, reported to the Emperor, or even one of his other siblings. But it was clear that she was strong-willed to set down her own rules and challenges to get her way. He would have to see if Kanon could be persuaded to at least give him a full disclosing background on her.

“Ma'am,” he nodded once.

Her light eyes and posture seemingly relaxed a fraction as she saw he was not going to continue to fight her on it. “You are dismissed Ranger,” she said in a perfunctory manner.

He straightened and nodded once to her before leaving. As soon as he took at least a flight of stairs down one level he pulled out his cellphone and texted Schneizel. Kanon returned the text [Play nice].

Lelouch silently cursed. Kennedy was Schneizel's _and_ one of his favorites. Which meant, she held an unlikely and unusual interest to his older-brother. He sighed and pocketed his phone before taking the elevator down to the hanger bay. Maybe one of the Gages could at least give him some insight into Marshal Kennedy.

He found them on the farthest edges of the hanger bay, away from Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger's berths. Four Sutherlands, fifth generation Knightmare Frames, sat next to two unusually models of Knightmares. They had the basic shape and cockpit, but their paint and design were colorful to say the least. Both had a white base, but then there were random bits of blue and gold trimming one one while the other had patchwork colors of black and brown. It looked quite odd.

“Heh, you're not the first one to give the Lionel that kind of look,” one of the twins spotted him and waved him over. “Bruce loves it. Says it's perfect for sniping.”

“It looks like someone splashed paint all over,” Lelouch kept staring at the patchworked colors that made up the Knightmare Lionel. “In fact, it looks a lot like camouflage.”

“Well, that's one of things we're supposed to test for Dr. Asplund. New paint material for KMFs and maybe Jaegers if they can ever find that much raw material to paint a Jaeger,” Trevin shrugged.

“Why?”

“Heard it was your idea, Lamperouge,” Trevin clapped him on the back. “Blending at the night and so forth.”

Lelouch blinked, surprised. _That_ was what had come as a result of his explanation? He glanced over to see Trevin with a crooked smile on his face. “I...didn't-”

The pilot of Romeo Blue shrugged. “Not for naught, Ranger, but maybe as a gentle reminder to ease up on your singular focus once in a while. The Second Prince's words, not my own.” He held up his hands at the sudden frown that appeared on Lelouch's face.

He could definitely hear Schneizel's veiled reprimand in the Knight of Two's comments. “I know how to play the game,” he growled instead.

Trevin chuckled quietly before glancing at him, his brown eyes unusually serious. “Lelouch- can I call you that?”

“Sure,” Lelouch didn't have much of an opinion on what the Knight called him.

“Can I give you some advice?”

He lifted an eyebrow at the words. While he appreciated the Gages mentoring and training him and Suzaku for all these months, in part also treating him without the usual deference and titling that came with being a royal – a rather refreshing indifference he found he had enjoyed – he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept any sort of 'advice' from the Knight, however unsolicited.

“You give Schneizel advice?”

“That's Kanon's job,” The Knight of Two grinned at him. “No, we don't take our marching orders from him either, but he's a good sort of man. Gives us toys, we get to play with them and break them much to Asplund's horror. It's nice being outside of the ASEEC and not having to worry about any repercussions.”

“What about from the Emperor?” Lelouch decided to press the issue. He didn't know why, considering he liked the Knights of Two – except when it came to Euphie – but something about his meeting with Marshal Kennedy rattled him.

Trevin snorted, this time the smile did not reach his eyes. “Ah...” the older Ranger crossed his arms across his chest. “Yeah...that.” He took a breath and sighed. “We report to him,” he said in a simple tone as if it was nothing. “Tell him about you, the Princess, the war efforts, even about Cornelia and Schneizel whenever we run into them. We talk about the other Knights too, like Three.”

Lelouch was a little unnerved at how calm Trevin sounded. It was like he was describing the weather. A coldness about him as if he really did not care. It reminded him of when the two had been deploying against Itak. But Lelouch also finally felt like he had gotten the answer he wanted and needed about the twins – about the Emperor's Knights of Two.

He wanted to ask if there was any reaction from the Emperor when his own name and whatever exploits or report the twins gave to the man was said. But Lelouch was not that vain, not that selfish and certainly could not careless for what the Emperor _thought_ of him now.

But the more Lelouch thought about it, a new thought started to germinate and grow in him. Based on his interactions with the twins since Jaeger Academy, he should have known that they would have reported things about him and Euphie to the Emperor. Yet they acted like they did not do such a thing. Trevin now, was telling him this, in a manner that was matter-of-fact and _as if he did not care_ that he now knew that they were the Emperor's eyes and ears. Lelouch snorted inwardly at the flash of insight, marveling at the brilliance of the twins.

Euphie did say they were _different_. And his sister was a very good judge of character – perhaps more than he since she honestly had no ego.

“All right,” he stared at Trevin. “What's your advice.”

And just like that, the coldness from the twin disappeared and in place was a wry smile. Lelouch knew he had made the right choice. He he would probably have to thank Euphie again. And as much as he wanted to ask why, he resisted the urge. Things would reveal themselves in due time. He had to have patience and this was one of the first lessons he had learned in the royal court. Now, he was learning it again.

“You're good Lelouch, but you're a little rusty from the way Bruce and I see it,” Trevin's brown eyes were earnest. “You're being a little ham-fisted. A little too Princely is a better word. You keep forgetting you're not a prince, but you certainly act like one and expect others to acknowledge and jump at your orders or suggestions.”

Lelouch's brow furrowed.

“Schneizel indulges you because you're his favorite baby half-brother,” Trevin said. “Also, we think he plans to use you at some point.”

“It's obvious,” Lelouch shrugged. “Lohmeyer. Bread crumbs. To what end, I don't know, but as long as we have this game between us, why not.”

“Okay, you're not that dense,” the twin chuckled quietly and Lelouch merely rolled his eyes. “But you also have to remember. You don't want to be seen as a prince, so you need to start acting like one. Follow the protocols, obey the rules. Follow the chain of command. You're a civilian, Lelouch. You're not royalty anymore unless you truly want to join back in.”

“No thank you,” Lelouch shook his head.

Trevin smiled. “Oh and don't give Marshal Kennedy that hard of a time.”

“She's annoying.”

“Because she's direct? Yeah, I can see why that rubs you wrong, but you're not thinking like that. You're thinking like a prince. Fighting her on her commands is not going to get you anywhere and instead will probably get you more demerits. She's more straightforward, getting results, who-gives-a-shit-about-politics type of person. Very organized, very...not people person either now that I think about it.”

He frowned again.

“What?” the Knight of Two prodded.

“She re-arranged our launch debut of Gipsy down to one day.”

“So?”

“She said we needed one and if mistakes were made, didn't seem to care.”

“Did you ask her why?”

“Something about deployment speed.”

Trevin nodded. “Yeah, something the brass wants to test out when launching new Jaegers. We want to be able to have faster intercepts. Gipsy's track record is smooth so she's probably thinking more along those lines.”

“She could have explained herself better,” he grumbled.

“Would you?”

“Hmm?”

“If this was your plan. Would you?”

Lelouch thought about it. He honestly...would not. It would be a test of his crew's capability and if they did pass, all the more better. If they did not, then he would be able to find the room to improve and work on the spots that need improving. Something must have shown on his face as Trevin smiled again.

“The two of you are very much alike so there's a personality clash. Schneizel knew this when he assigned her to Anchorage. We asked. He made no bones about it that it was to curb your...enthusiasm for the lack of a better word. He was also honest in the fact that Marshal Kennedy needed to actually learn how to command since she's been running K-Science ragged with all of her attempts to throw more and more projects onto her poor staff in an effort to improve K-Watch, K-Science and research.”

“I don't need to be coddled like I'm a child,” Lelouch was disgruntled.

“No, but you do need to learn the chain of command. Something my brother and I can't teach you,” the Knight of Two admitted. “Too many demerits of our own.”

“And you're not offended by Kennedy?”

“Why should I be?” Trevin looked at him. “She's really organized. I'll disagree with her and I'll voice it in private, but in the end, we all know that we're in this together. The Second Prince wants the war to end as much as you do, Lelouch.”

The older man had a point, Lelouch admitted. There were perhaps far worse conditions to be in – like Tokyo Shatterdome if that mandate or whatever Genbu Kururugi had was approved.

He sighed. “So, what are the Knightmares for?”

Trevin grinned. “A secret test. We specifically asked for you, or rather, Bruce and me.”

“Why?”

“You'll see,” the other man grinned for a few seconds before sobering. “It's going to be hard to keep it from Suzaku when you guys Drift, so I'm not going to warn you about it.”

“Marshal Kennedy-”

“She's entitled to whatever she thinks,” Trevin shrugged before gesturing towards the Sutherlands. “Let's get you settled, all right?”

Lelouch nodded and followed. He disliked it on principal that he had to keep this a secret from Suzaku, but he also learned a valuable lesson from the Knight of Two. He hoped that whatever exercise he had to do in the Knightmare, it would be short and to the point.


	11. Knight Arc - Part III

Lelouch could feel the disappointment, mingled with a tinge of jealousy in his bond with Suzaku. He rubbed his right eye absently as he sat in the cockpit of the Sutherland he had been assigned for the tests with the Bors and Lionel Knightmare Frames. What they were supposed to do with a bunch of paintballs and slightly stripped down KMFs was beyond him. The slash harkens were replaced by large missile-like paintballs and he was holding a rifle full of paintballs. His factsphere pinged the location of the three other Sutherlands in the vicinity, but nothing on the Lionel that was out in the Alaskan wilderness near Mount Denali.

Suzaku had not been happy when he found out about where Lelouch would be spending his afternoons before Gipsy's official launch. But his partner about to force him to disobey his orders. It had just been a small shrug and the words 'what did you expect?' before Suzaku continued tweaking parts of Gipsy's conn-pod. For the first time, Lelouch felt disconcerted with regards to his partner.

Still, he tried to follow his orders and keep the training on Knightmares out of the Drift as best as he could as he and Suzaku got closer and closer to Gipsy's launch date. Lelouch sighed as he tried to send some affection over the bond.

He knew Suzaku spent the afternoons working with Euphie on the final touches of Gipsy Danger – more than likely crawling around the Jaeger's innards and coming out with grease in his hair. He supposed the consolation of helping him wash it out in their small bathroom sink later in the afternoon was a good thing. Suzaku seemed to like it whenever he ran his hands over his scalp in an impromptu massage. It usually led to them making out which seemed to brighten Suzaku's moods.

Lelouch sighed again, as he switched his focus to study the three Knightmares and the map before him. He would find some way to make it up to his partner.

There was no sign of the Lionel – Bruce's machine. Lelouch didn't know what kinds of specs it was outfitted with, but if anything he knew the ASEEC loved experimental and cutting edge technology so it stood to reason that the Lionel may not show up on his sensors due to cloaking or something of that nature. The Bors, Trevin's machine, was sitting in the woods with them, but the second of the Knights of Two's sniper-based Knightmare was so still it looked like it could have been powered down. The only thing he got from the Bors was its lone factsphere pinging away.

Lelouch was bored.

This was already day three of testing and he and the four other Knightmares had been sent out as moving targets to both try to spot the Lionel, but also allow the Lionel to snipe and coat them with paint from afar. Once they did that, they were technically out and whatever data they had fed to the Bors at this point was to help it countersnipe.

So far, whatever Asplund had designed to coat the Lionel with, was holding up well. They had not been able to spot the Lionel anywhere as it stayed in its position-

Lelouch sat up. He keyed the comms. “Bors, P1 here,” he stated.

“P1? Lelouch?”

“Mind if I try something?” he asked. Though Trevin had been nominally in charge, sending them out each time to sortie against the Lionel, he played loose with the formations, usually leaving him in charge or giving vague directions. Lelouch had wondered if it was because he had a connection to his twin and so didn't exactly want to give away their locations so easily to his brother.

“Yeah, but P1?”

“Not important. I'm designating you Q1,” Lelouch replied. “Thanks,” he added belatedly as Trevin gave his tacit approval.

“P2, K5 and R1,” he called out, his hands tapping to designate the three other Knightmares.

“Trev, what's-”

“Let's roll with it,” Trevin's voice came over the comms.

“K5, move thirty degrees to your south-south west, by the giant rock formation. Then execute this plan,” Lelouch sent off an information packet to the Knightmare he dubbed K5.

“Hey...uh, oh...” the pilot trailed off as he seemingly read the plan. “Got it.”

“R1, start at the median point and the rest of this,” he sent off another packet.

“P2, hold position – switch rifling with Q1,” Lelouch ordered. The P2 Sutherland belonged to Amanda,Trevin's spotter when both served on the front lines. Lelouch didn't know where Bruce's spotter was, considering he was also a sniper, but didn't ask.

“Er, this thing will blow off my arm and slag the cockpit if I fire it, paint or no paint,” Amanda sounded doubtful.

“Noted, but not the point,” he replied. “Switch and hold position.”

“Roger,” Amanda replied.

“I get a piddly pop gun, hooray,” Trevin said with the enthusiasm of a deflated balloon.

Lelouch ignored the Knight of Two's sarcasm. “Q1, straight line down to the clearing once you discard your camo net.” He sent him a packet.

“Straight line- ohhh...okay,” Trevin's voice became more agreeable. “Cute.”

“Everyone in position?” he called out on the general broadcast.

“Sir,” they replied.

“Go,” he ordered and watched as his plan unfolded.

K5 and R1 executed their orders by immediately backing away from where they were supposed to advance and Lelouch watched the tree line for any sign of Bruce's Lionel Knightmare Frame. There were some birds that were flying across a section-

“Q1, forty-degrees to your left. North, north west-”

“See it, headed towards that direction,” Trevin's voice had gone a little cold as he spurred the Bors ahead. He still stayed within the trees, his paint color and scheme blending in well, to make it look like one of the dulled Sutherlands.

“P2, nothing on the scope. I see the birds, but no tell tale glint of sniper scope.”

“Sweep the area. K5, R1, continue on your paths,” Lelouch moved his own frame towards where the Bors had discarded the camo net and picked it up. He moved towards P2 and draped it over the Knightmare.

“P1, what-”

Lelouch then took the sniper rifle from Amanda's hands and switched rifling with her, before motioning to her to continue holding her position. Her Knightmare frame gave him a look of dubiousness before she continued.

There was the sudden _pwoot_ sound that echoed across the clearing, sending more birds in the air.

“That was a miss, a miss! K5, reporting movement east-south east of me. Looks like the Lionel is there-”

Lelouch swung the rifling around to the area where K5 was supposed to be and saw what might have been a glint of a sniper rifle-

“P2 reporting rifle glint. He's there,” Amanda said calmly.

“Flush him out,” Lelouch ordered as he tracked the area with the longer scope. “If you can, get him.” He watched as movement startled more birds and the trees in the distance swayed. Then he thought he spotted the odd paint job of the Lionel among little bits of clearing-

“Yep! That's him! Lionel spotted, Lionel spotted!” R1 crowed over the comms.

Lelouch grinned. Bruce was more than likely not expecting to be unceremoniously flushed out of his hiding spot, but judging by the terrain it was both a good and bad spot that he had chosen. In the middle of the woods, but on a downward angle from the high slope he and Amanda were occupying. It gave Bruce an advantage to hit up close, but also wait for the most optimal shot when they had to go down into the forests and clearings that made up the area.

He watched as Trevin coordinated with the other two Sutherlands to herd Bruce's Lionel into an optimal point to down it before he spotted something-

“R1, back away! It's an ambush!” He stabbed the comms as he saw the brief glimpse of camo netting-

R1 screeched to a halt, but then was suddenly drenched in paint by two _pwoot_ of the sniper rilfe on the Lionel. Trevin and the Bors immediately backed away as did K5, seeing that Bruce had set up a counter spot in case something like this did happen.

“P2-”

“Way ahead of you, P1,” Amanda's tone was one of dark amusement before she activated her landspinners and went flying down the mountain side, camo netting and all. Lelouch grinned as he watched Q1 and K5 approach a little more warily. He turned his focus back onto the Lionel as it seemingly blended back into the woods and surroundings. All was silent for a few minutes before suddenly the Lionel burst out into a clearing, firing wildly backwards.

Amanda had apparently launched an ambush as she came out, using her Sutherland and dodging as best as she could. She threw the cameo netting off and fired her rifle to keep the pressure on the Lionel and was joined by Bors and K5. The Lionel was trapped and Lelouch spotted his opportunity.

He focused on the cockpit section and fired even before he remembered that he honestly should not have done that because the next thing he knew was that he was flat on his back with his cockpit smoking and sparking around him. A wash of light spilled in as the cockpit door was cranked open with the screeching groan of metal. He blearily looked up to see the double vision of Trevin and Bruce, dressed in their flightsuits shaking their heads at him.

“He looks fine,” Bruce's voice sounded like it was coming down a long tube as Lelouch thought he saw the older man touched his ear. It took another moment for Lelouch to discern that Bruce was talking to someone else over comms. “Some minor injuries, probably whiplash, yeah, we're coming back in now. We'll have to get a crane up here to lift the Sutherland back. It's a bit of a melted slag of mess.”

“Lelouch, Amanda did warn you that you're not supposed to fire the rifle. It's high-powered and experimental,” Trevin's voice was a little far away, but was slowly getting back to normal as the ringing in Lelouch's ears died.

“Got it, all right, prep for Ranger Protocols-”

Lelouch started for a second, wondering why Ranger Protocols were being enacted before wincing as his muscles pulled and protested any sort of movement. His neck and shoulders _hurt_. Some of the pain must have shown on his face as he felt a gentle consoling pat on his hand as Trevin reached over and helped unbuckle him from his seat.

“Looks like Suzaku's feeling some of the pain and dizziness in the ghost. He's being taken to the infirmary to wait on us. Dr. Elund's been informed and he's prepping for Ranger Protocols,” Bruce shook his head. “Nice job, got me right in the cockpit, but seriously Lelouch, a bit reckless there.”

Lelouch huffed a quiet laugh as he felt himself being pulled out of his seat by Trevin, looping his arm around his shoulder as much as it hurt at the moment, and stumbled out after the twins. “It got you,” he replied. “That's all that it counts.”

Both twins sighed, shaking their heads again. “You're lucky that was just paint. If it was actual ordinance...you'd probably not be here.”

They sat him down next to the remnants of the Sutherland as they waited for pick up. “Why that high of a power?”

“For Romeo Blue,” Bruce replied. “K-Science has been studying Itak's armor and figured out why it was nearly undetectable. It's got some dense layers. Ronin was lucky to hit it in its weak spot, but we'll probably need some high-powered ordinance in case the kaiju evolve and send more with the same armor as Itak. Kennedy's logical guess is that the reason why Itak was so small was because it was an experiment or something. Maybe they can't build that many with that type of armor density.”

“But we don't know that for sure, right?”

“Right,” Trevin took over. “They built Bors and Lionel as miniature test Jaegers if you really want to look at it. Armor, density, the whole works for Britannia's Jaegers.”

“But there's only so much testing can be done between a Knightmare and an actual Jaeger,” Lelouch tried to wrap his head around that particular concept, but the pain kept getting in the way. It was as if it was rebounding twice over, making him feel really miserable.

“Hmm,” Bruce made a humming noise for a second before peering closely at him. Lelouch wanted to recoil, but ended up blinking owlishly. Everything really hurt now. “Any dizziness?”

“No? I guess...” he answered as he winced as he tried to shake his head. “My neck muscles hurt like a bitch though.”

“Whiplash,” one of the twins said. “Maybe a minor concussion, but we don't really know that for sure.”

“It's definitely a bad ghosting though,” the other twin said thoughtfully. “Hey, Lelouch, did you two fight or anything in the last few days?”

“No...” he replied. “Why?”

“Usually strong emotional responses during Drifting, even in the sims, can create a bad ghost Drift in the aftermath. It's not common, but it happens. It's why every Ranger is warned about combat Drifting. The emotional responses during combat elevate a lot of the brain chemistry and makes coming down from it in the aftermath like a high of sorts. It lasts for a while. And because your two minds are connected in that sense, you rebound everything off of each other – pain, injury, joy, etc.”

“Fighting is one of the markers.”

Lelouch didn't know where he could rest his head. Any type of movement made pins and needles shoot straight down his spine and then the additional pain he felt wanted to make him curl up into a ball of misery to ride it out. He was more than likely feeling Suzaku's response to the pain, which didn't help matters because he was probably projecting his own pain through the ghost Drift. Normally, it was just the bond between the two of them, fleeting impressions and vague feelings that was comfortable and familiar, but this particular one felt a little worse than the time Suzaku had been drugged.

“Among...a few other things,” Trevin coughed lightly and Lelouch raised an eyebrow as he saw the twin redden a little. He didn't need to guess what was another marker judging by the embarrassment. It made sense that intense emotional responses during sex was another one.

“Hasn't happened recently,” he replied to the oblique reference.

“Odd then...” The red in Trevin's face died as he tried to puzzled out the apparent, yet unexpectedly intense ghost Drift.

“Suzaku, and by extension myself, we're not happy keeping this from each other,” Lelouch stated as he finally decided to lean back against the Knightmare he was sat down against. He couldn't quite suppress his hiss. “Geez...”

“We told you not to fire it. You've got no one to blame but yourself,” Trevin sighed. Lelouch attempted to wave an absent hand of dismissal at the Knight of Two. Both twins chuckled in resignation. He closed his eyes in an attempt to regulate his breathing. If he was echoing back the pain to Suzaku, it was the least he could try to do.

“Suppression of secrets usually doesn't happen much, it's normally subconscious, but if I guess it's actively doing it...”

“May make sense. One of the pairs in the B class right now did feel something like that...the-”

“-Beckets. I remember, Sergio said something like that. I wonder if we could ask about the Lanphier and LaRue pairing though. Maybe more along the lines of these two?”

“True. I'll run it to Sergio once we get Princeling back to the infirmary-”

“I'm still awake guys...” Lelouch cracked open his eyes to stare as the twins had talked.

“Princeling,” Bruce grinned. “And we're completely immune to your death glares by now, Lelouch. They may be rather impressive, but seriously. We've worked with you enough that we know you're not serious.”

“You are the Terrible Two Knights,” Lelouch groused as he heard the sounds of jeeps pulling up.

“Aw, I'm hurt. He called us Terrible Two.”

“At least it wasn't the Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee I heard Suzaku muttering under his breath.”

Lelouch wanted to laugh, but managed to tamp down the urge. He hadn't know that particular thought had passed through the Drift to his partner and found it quite amusing. He closed his eyes again, letting the noises of those around him lull him into a sort of relaxed, but alert state. He felt himself being lifted up, a neck bracer put around his neck to further stabilize him – and at least mitigate his own efforts to keep his head up – before they were soon off.

“Ranger, open your eyes for me,” the soothing voice of a medic called out and Lelouch opened his eyes, only to squint as a pen light was pointed right at him. He glanced around him to see that he was lying down now, on a cot in the back of a jeep as the rumbling of the road took them back to the Shatterdome.

“Good,” the medic touched his ear, “positive response, no concussion. A lot of pulled muscles though, judging by how stiff he is. We can do an MRI if necessary.” He lowered his hand and turned back. “I'm going to give you some muscle relaxers and pain killers, Ranger. It'll be natural to feel sleepy so if you don't want to fight it, don't fight it. You really did a number on your self and you're very lucky you didn't get a concussion.”

“So everyone keeps telling me,” Lelouch muttered.

The medic laughed lightly as he prepped the needle and found a vein to inject him. Lelouch grimaced as the needle slid into him and injected the contents. He did feel the pain lessening bit by bit as the medicine did its work and breathed out quietly in relief. A hand gently touched his shoulder and he flicked his eyes to his left to see Trevin smiling ruefully down at him. He did not realize the older Ranger had gotten into the medical vehicle with him.

“You're in safe hands, Ranger, get some sleep,” the Knight of Two said quietly and Lelouch found that he could trust that voice now. After everything that Trevin had said, he was safe. He didn't have to worry. He closed his eyes again and let himself fall under, his final thought to send a soothing warmth to Suzaku that he hoped his partner felt.

* * *

“New sciences,” Marshal Kennedy muttered as she looked over the reports that Dr. Lightcap had sent. “Why is it always new sciences.” She glanced up at Lelouch and Suzaku as they stood at attention in her office.

“The 2016-B class just started Week 1 of Term 3 so no definitive full Drift yet, but Dr. Lightcap has speculated there is sensitivity in the way Ranger pairs work. She points to Lucky Seven's pairing and that of Cherno Alpha as examples. Seems like the two of you have also joined that list.”

Kennedy ran a hand through her silvery-grey hair as she shook her head. “Dr. Lightcap is worried that this prolonged type of response – or rather, a conscious effort to keep secrets – may result in lowering your sync ratio and eventually possibly unable to repair the sync and Drift. Normally, it would be countered easily, but if it happens in combat, the results could be catastrophic. The easiest method would be to suspend current operations, but based on results from the test four days ago, we can't.”

Lelouch frowned, wanting to ask why since it had just been a simple exercise that had resulted in a half-melted Sutherland, yes, but they only had three left anyways. He felt Suzaku's caution in their bond. It was rather acute, the ghost Drift between them that had sprung up when he was injured slowly fading by each hour. Dr. Elund reported that they would be back within normal parameters by tomorrow. For now, their feelings ran along their bond like a little bit of a live wire. Not as intense as the initial three days, but it still occasionally made for interesting jumps in their emotional awareness of each other.

The morning calisthenics that Suzaku had gone through – while Lelouch was only allowed to do stretches per Dr. Elund's orders to let his muscles heal properly – had left a pleasant buzz between them. Suzaku clearly enjoyed running and Lelouch got the feedback from it two-fold. Then it seemingly tapered into a sort of amusing joy somewhere in the run, followed by a wave of affection that he _knew_ was for Euphie alone.

When Suzaku had returned to their room to shower and change, Lelouch had asked what had been amusing on his run and it seemed that Euphie had relayed the story about Amanda yelling at Trevin who was yelling back at her before it had turned into a knockout drag-down fight in the Kwoon between the two of them only for them to knock each other flat and exhausted in the aftermath. Bruce had merely sat as a member of the audience and deigned to participate or help either his J-Tech Chief or brother. Amanda had apparently been a mess of visible bruises while sitting in LOCENT.

Euphie said such fights between Amanda and Trevin were very common, more than between Bruce and his brother.

“So,” Kennedy moved the reports away from her face and folded her hands in front of her. She pinned them with a look. “What does this mean for the two of you,” she said rhetorically. “Following some advice would help, for starters.”

Lelouch grimaced. He did technically ignore Amanda's advice when he had taken the rifle from her and fired it. He had a feeling it was part of the whole thing to apparently curb his attempts to disobey orders.

“But what's done is done. Lesson learned, moving on,” Kennedy shrugged. “The question becomes, what happens if something like this does happen again. We've now have to delay Gipsy's launch by a week since you're still recovering Ranger. Believe me when I say the two of you started _another_ media shitstorm when the press release was sent out. We said it was technical related in our press release, but the Board is not happy about this delay.”

She sighed again and for the first time since Lelouch had met her, he felt a small twinge of sympathy. It was clear that she really did not like the whole political aspect that went along with being a Marshal. “We were going to originally tie it into the announcement that regional Shatterdomes can appoint their own Marshal per Board approval. It'll give the countries that are building Shatterdomes a chance to appoint their own military commanders who will then conform to PPDC standards, but also allow better coordination of regional resources. It would have been magnanimous for public relations front to accept various Jaegers in an effort to promote unity among the countries.”

Lelouch could feel Suzaku's unease at Kennedy's words. Genbu Kururugi's proposal had passed with the Board's approval.

“We were considered to be posted to Tokyo once we launched, ma'am?” Suzaku asked quietly.

Kennedy started, staring at Suzaku before nodding, surprise crossing her face. “Yes...how?”

“It's not a far stretch, ma'am,” Suzaku was polite, but Lelouch heard and felt the tension. “It would be a good move too.”

Kennedy nodded slowly. “You have reservations...”

Suzaku shook his head a negative. “Not exactly. Just wondering if there was a way to solve this current problem.”

“Oh?”

“If I were to study Knightmare frames, and since they are Britannian state secrets, I'd probably be forbidden from being posted to Tokyo or Nagasaki Shatterdomes, is that correct?”

“Most likely yes. We'd consider Hong Kong or Sydney and there are ways we could mitigate this, but because you two are quite popular, we'd have our work cut out for us. At least those are my thoughts judging by the current shitstorm.”

“I don't mind not being posted to Tokyo or Nagasaki then,” Suzaku stated.

Kennedy opened her mouth for a second, ostensibly to protest, before she closed it as her brow formed a 'v' shape. Suzaku's words had finally hit her. “Wait...you do _not_ want to be posted to your homeland?”

“I do,” Suzaku corrected, but Lelouch admired how steady the lie fell from his friend's lips. “But not at the expense of my partnership with Ranger Lamperouge.”

“Oh,” Kennedy nodded before the corner of her thin lips twitched in a slight smile. “Admirable and understandable.” The smile disappeared.

“It is my duty as Marshal and as part of Britannia's scientific command to warn you that your agreement to this not only extends to not being posted to your home country, your leave to said home country may be scrutinized. You are both a security risk and a foreign national if you agree to this. You are giving Britannia permission to treat you harshly if it looks like you will be telling anyone else, including the Japanese on your team, anything regarding Knightmare technology.” She looked up. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Suzaku nodded, his gaze serious.

Kennedy blinked twice before nodding once. “All right. Let me run it up to the Second Prince since it's his little pet project and loop in the Knights of Two.” Her fingers clacked over her keyboard before she glanced at the two of them again. “You're both dismissed, though Ranger Kururugi, can you stay for a few minutes.”

“Ma'am,” Lelouch straightened, but didn't nod as his neck was still in a softer version of the brace, and instead, opted for a Japanese style bow before he left the room. He wondered what Kennedy was talking to Suzaku about as he waited outside.

The meeting wasn't long as Suzaku exited about ten minutes later, his expression neutral. From their bond, all he felt was relief and carefully reached up to squeeze his partner's shoulder. “You okay?” he asked.

“Nothing I can't handle,” Suzaku replied with a small smile as the two of them headed towards the hanger bay. “I'll admit that I'm going to miss Japan.”

“We may get dropped there if a kaiju fights and we're close by, so we may end up staying a few days.”

“Yes, but better than being posted there,” Suzaku's smile turned a little bitter as the two of them remembered the last conversation he had with Genbu. “You heard everything?”

“Almost everything,” Lelouch admitted. “I didn't mean to eavesdrop.”

“No,” Suzaku shook his head. “It's probably better I suppose. Maybe it helped with the RABIT we had.”

“Not for any avoidance,” he countered.

“I hate him,” Suzaku murmured. “But...”

Lelouch was silent as he let Suzaku work through his complicated feelings towards his father. He could feel the acute mix of love, anger, pride, despair and resignation flow through his partner. Suzaku using Knightmare knowledge to his advantage was one of the ways to ensure that Gipsy Danger was never posted to Tokyo or Nagasaki. But there was a cleverness in Suzaku's request – Genbu Kururugi, if he ever took command of a Shatterdome, would be only allowed to either command Nagasaki or Tokyo. Marshal Tohdoh, however, could be posted _anywhere_ because he was PPDC.

He could feel the small hum of satisfaction in the myriad of emotions Suzaku felt regarding the situation and so didn't feel the need to point out the obvious or how his partner felt about the whole thing.

However, one curious thought lingered in Lelouch's mind as they took the elevators down to the hanger bay. “How come your father never remarried?”

“Or have more children?” Suzaku shrugged. “Not for the lack of trying, I suppose. I know he had mistresses. One or two were marriage proposals, but I don't know why he never remarried. They were from the other houses. I don't know why any of them didn't get pregnant. I also know he probably stopped seeing a lot of them after Kaguya and I turned around fourteen and we were sent to Oahu.”

“That's when the engagement became serious?”

“Probably. That outing was our very first with a chaperone, Kirihara. We were expected to uphold our respective houses dignity and conduct ourselves in a manner that showed the might of the Japanese.”

“Thank you Clovis then,” Lelouch laughed lightly and Suzaku also laughed as they exited the elevator and headed towards Gipsy Danger. They both pushed thoughts of Genbu Kururugi out of their minds as they studied Gipsy.

Their Jaeger stood tall and proud, a beautiful burnished faded iron-blue paint color with edgings of red to give her a fiercer look. She looked very much like a younger, if more 'sister' version of Romeo Blue who stood next to her in the same bay. Romeo Blue was a dark royal blue with yellow edging.

“She's pretty,” Suzaku sighed happily before he turned and grinned at him. “Not as pretty as you.”

Lelouch wanted to duck his head, but was restrained by the neck brace. “Really?” He asked, a little exasperated at the sheer amount of affection that was rolling off of his friend. At least he was in a better mood.

“Really,” Suzaku reached out to squeeze his hand before leading him towards where Euphie was standing with a couple of other technicians. Lelouch sighed and allowed himself to be dragged forward, enjoying the moment. He hoped that Suzaku's proposal would be approved. He really disliked actively keeping secrets from his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to some Arthurian legends (and I mean loosely b/c there is so many variations), Bors and Lionel are the first cousins of Lancelot all serve as part of the Knights of the Round. Bors and Lionel are part of the Grail quest and its Bors that ends up worthy of the grail as he refuses to kill his brother Lionel who had been captured somewhere during the quest (they were pitted against each other).
> 
> Bors also was Guinevere's champion before Lancelot returned to take his place. All three left Camelot and the Knights of the Round once Lancelot's affair with the Queen is exposed (and helps Lancelot spirit Guinevere away from her execution). Bors becomes one of Lancelot's trusted advisors in the war between Lancelot and Arthur. However, when Mordred betrays Arthur and takes over, all three ride to Arthur's help, but they're too late. They stay to defeat the rest of Mordred's forces, and Lionel is slain by Mordred's son. Bors avenges him.


	12. Knight Arc - Part IV

Gipsy Danger launched four days later to much fanfare and celebration in Anchorage Shatterdome and across the nations. But the team and personnel involved didn't take long to indulge in the celebrations as there was a lot more work to do. They transitioned out from simulators to live practice. To get used to Gipsy's actual movements, Jumphawks carried them to the Proving Grounds on Kodiak Island.

A new set of regulations were also released regarding Orange and Red Alerts. K-Watch and K-Science had installed more sensors, including those of infared and on other spectrums to further calculate and monitor the Breach and subsequent kaiju activity. Orange Alerts were now far in advance, but actual Jaeger deployments were not to happen until Red Alerts. Marshal Kennedy's words about fast deployments earlier in October had proven to be true. It allowed pilots and crews to be rested, but ever watchful for deployment launch as soon as a Red Alert was given.

One of the driving reasons were more Shatterdomes were coming online – Sydney and Tokyo completed and Lima halfway done. Shanghai, Panama City and Vladivistok were getting one and Nagasaki's blueprints had passed approval. Construction was going to start soon. Another was that 2016-B's class was purely civilian for their current crop of potential pilot pairs. And they had _a lot_. A record nine pilot pairs had passed Term 2 and were currently looking good for Term 3 as they all went into full Drifting. Everyone, including Lelouch and Suzaku had been utterly shocked at how many pilot pairs 2016-B had produced.

Lelouch had been intrigued by at least the top two pairs. Britannian brothers from Anchorage, Alaska, the Beckets fostered a growth of friendship among the other cadets, very much like the Gage twins. The other pairing was an unusual one like him and Suzaku – two women who were long time friends, but were Britannian and European United – Stephanie Lanphier and Kennedy LaRue. Though he was junior in rank, he was able to access their records and found their sync ratios to be on average for their current weeks of training. It was more of the personality assessment between the two that he found intriguing.

Lanphier and LaRue met during an international swim meet when they were children, then as subsequent rivals and striking up a friendship through there. Lanphier watched Karloff wreck her home city of Vancouver before she enrolled in Jaeger Academy. LaRue had no connection to kaijus, but enrolled nonetheless and the two had met up in Term 1 and became inseparable. Lightcap had some additional notes jotted into their files, more about compatibility than the clear lack of martial training between the two, but made note that they were a pair to watch out and referenced him and Suzaku.

Lelouch didn't know what to make of it, but supposed Lightcap had her own ways of assessing Ranger pairs. Finally, Schneizel approved of letting Suzaku learn about Knightmare frames with the restrictions imposed upon him regarding any future travel plans. However, in a magnanimous gesture, Schneizel waived the scrutiny Suzaku might have faced about potentially telling one of the Japanese members of their team about Knightmares.

Lelouch heard from Trevin that Schneizel also personally delivered the news that Gipsy Danger would not be posted to Tokyo or Nagasaki and instead would be able to lend their help when necessary from their posting to a different Shatterdome. According to Trevin, the call had been a private one between Minister Kirihara, Prime Minister Kururugi and Schneizel. The Knights of Two knew about it because of their connections. Trevin seemed rather nonplussed about it. Lelouch wished he had been able to hear that conversation at the same time appreciated the information and was glad he had made the right choice in trusting the twins.

Between training on Gipsy Danger now that she was operational and teaching Suzaku about Knightmares – though he was still technically not allowed to operate – they almost missed seeing the rather large weapon that delivered up to Anchorage in late November. It was only the twins' unabashed glee during breakfast that alerted the Jaeger teams – and Marshal Kennedy. They watch as two large Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy military transport aircraft touched down and delivered their payload: a gigantic multi-story tall plasma-based _sniper rifle_ for Romeo Blue.

No wonder the twins were grinning like children who had received an early Christmas present.

Lelouch had glanced in the direction of where the Bors, Lionel and Sutherlands had been stored. He supposed it was a successful test considering the recoil had melted his Sutherland. Amanda merely herded the twins to the pilot ready room and out to their Jaeger before Romeo Blue came to life to help unload and put together the weapon that had come in four parts.

It was rather odd seeing a multi-story tall Jaeger sitting quite human-like in a hanger bay putting together a giant sniper rifle. All of the Britannians started to reference a nostalgic movie called _The Iron Giant_ , which confused the foreigners on the teams and resulted in a watch party that left almost everyone in tears.

Euphie swore good money she saw Marshal Kennedy leave the viewing wiping a single tear from her eye. Milly took the bet for picture proof. The results were still out on the jury.

All in all, it was good fun until December 3rd they were all put on Orange Alert. A kaiju had been spotted emerging from the Breach. Following the new protocols, both teams went on an eighteen-hour rotation, one Jaeger always ready to deploy if a Red Alert status came up. The rest of the time, even though their shifts overlapped was checking whatever information came through the official channels as well as ensuring maintenance on all Jaegers, Jumphawks and necessary equipment.

The initial Orange Alert showed the same lines of projection, but they were wider, more far-reaching instead of the initial narrowed ones he was used to. This was the result of the multitude of sensors set up in the Breach after Itak's attack. There was to be no current cone of projection until K-Watch Hawai'i could process the calculations and spot where the Jaeger could potentially go.

So the first thirty-six hours of both Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger's watches passed rather monotonously. It was into the thirty-eighth hour, officially nearing the midnight hour of December 5th that the lines became far more narrow, a projection that sent it towards the northwest Pacific once more.

Lelouch sat in bed, the glow of the PDA in the darkness of the room throwing harsh lights over his face, but he absently flicked the projection map away and instead, studied the grainy images K-Watch had been able to capture of the newest kaiju – Ragnarok.

“Lelouch?” Suzaku's sleepy voice called out and he glanced down to see his partner's brown hair shift a little.

“Go back to sleep,” he murmured, absently reaching down to run a hand through the soft curls.

Instead, he found Suzaku slipping his own hand into his own before tugging on it and a light kiss was pressed against his palm. Lelouch smiled absently as he continued to stare at the pictures. Suzaku was oddly affectionate when he was in a half-asleep state and he felt his partner shift against him before a soft grunt followed by Suzaku's weight and chin leaning on his shoulder told him that his friend had woken up.

A breath blew against Lelouch's chin and he turned slightly to touch their cheeks together. “You should sleep,” he murmured quietly.

“So should you,” Suzaku reached up to cover an absent yawn. “We've only got five hours before we're back on shift...” He made a bit of a noise before he seemingly smiled and nuzzled Lelouch's neck. “Happy birthday...”

“Hmm?” Lelouch glanced at the clock and date his PDA had. It was December 5th. He was technically eighteen if he didn't count the exact time he was born. He made a small noise of amusement before he felt the nuzzling on his neck turn into a languid kiss that sent shivers down his spine. “S-Suzaku...” he breathed out as he tried to move, but found himself pinned against the headboard by his friend suddenly pressing against him.

Just as suddenly Suzaku pulled his head away, leaving the faintest impression of a bite on his neck and sat back. Lelouch reached up to touch the mark and glanced at his friend to see desire lighting his green eyes. “What-”

“Birthday gift...for later,” Suzaku replied with a smile and Lelouch returned it as he leaned over and kissed his lover on the lips gently.

He parted from Suzaku, feeling just a little bit winded from the long kiss. “Later,” he whispered into his mouth. As much as a part of Lelouch wanted to very much continue exploring what Suzaku was promising to be a birthday gift, they were both well aware of the protocols in place for Orange and Red Alerts. There would be time for sex later. Deliberately turning back to his PDA, he forced himself to cool his desire and focus on the impending attack.

Suzaku leaned against his shoulder, covering another yawn with his hand. “You should sleep,” he murmured again, but out of the corner of his eye, Lelouch could see Suzaku staring at the pictures he was looking at. One of partner's hands reached up to absently rub his back in slow circles while his other one rested against on his shoulder. A finger reached up to flick at the PDA, sending a picture to the side.

“Are those arms?”Suzaku wondered sleepily.

“Or bladed weapons like Itak,” Lelouch looked at Ragnarok. It had what looked like six appendages coming out of its middle, aside from the two stumps that were legs. From the K-Watch cameras, it looked a little like a demented spider or centipede of sorts, but with bulbous ends on the appendages.

“The spider from hell,” Suzaku muttered, his mind coming to the same conclusion Lelouch had. “Come on...let's sleep. You can figure out a way to squish it later...”

Lelouch laughed quietly before he sighed and snapped his PDA off, setting it on the end table. He heard a small sound of victory as Suzaku unceremoniously slid off of his shoulder and back onto the bed, his hands grabbing ungracefully at his waist and arm, pulling him down with him. Lelouch pushed a hand away as he shifted and slid under the covers. Suzaku's hands reached out again and collected him as he all but spooned himself to his side, cocooning Lelouch with his warmth and bare skin.

Lelouch curled closer to his lover, breathing the barest scent of his skin and of the faint shampoo as he heard the soft snores start up. It was like Suzaku to fall asleep so fast, but able to wake just as fast. Lelouch smiled and reached out to pull his lover closer to him, his arm wrapping itself around his waist possessively. He closed his eyes and allowed Suzaku's steady heartbeat to lull him into sleep. Five hours until they had to wake back up.

Five hours and perhaps some more after that until he they could possibly go into combat for the first time against the kaiju. It was both a sobering thought and one that excited him. But for now, five hours in the arms of his lover, and the dreamless sleep that protected him.

* * *

“Red Alert! Red Alert! This is not a drill! All pilots report to your Jaegers! All crews, prepare for Jaeger launch!”

Lelouch and Suzaku were already sprinting out of LOCENT as soon the first instance of 'red alert' had issued from the speakers. They hurried to the pilot ready room, skidding to a stop to see Shirley and her team laying out their drivesuits. Four hours since they had gotten back on shift and the cone of projection had already narrowed towards southern Japan, Seoul and northern China again. Ragnarok looked like it was going on the same track as Itak.

Since he and Suzaku were the on-call pilots, Gipsy Danger would be sortied first. Romeo Blue would follow a couple of hours later, the Gages having gotten off the long shift to rest. However, they both knew that the Gages were more than likely not sleeping – or if they were, they were already scrambling to LOCENT to watch what was happening. They would sortie later only because of the need for their Jumphawks to refuel and the crew to finish preparations.

Stripping down to their underwear was already second nature in the drills and practice runs they had been doing. Ignoring Shirley's beet red face was another, as she suited them up. Lelouch still didn't understand why Shirley turned red each time, considering she had seen them nearly naked every single time, but he supposed it was her issue to deal with as he settled into the gel-like fabric material of the drivesuit. The suit, acting like a second layer of skin and made from polymer materials that afforded protection against radiation and elemental damage for the most part settled on his bare skin.

He worked his neck around a little to let the material cling better onto him and heard Shirley squeak a little as she held up the first of the ballistic armor pieces. He turned to see her eyes wide. “What?” he asked.

“Err...um, you've...” Shirley mimed at his neck and Lelouch reached up with gloved hand, confused before he realized where she was indicating. Suzaku's ministrations had left a visible mark high enough on his neck that the drivesuit couldn't quite cover. Normally their marks on each other faded in scant few hours after making them, but he supposed in this case, Suzaku had been a little more aggressive with his mouth. He snapped his mouth shut, dropping his hand to his side, avoiding Shirley's gaze.

Shirley for her part, seemed to also realized she was causing some discomfort and laughed weakly before continuing on with her preparations. She finished suiting them up before stepping back with a smile on her face. “Good luck!” She called to them.

He nodded and threw her a casual wave as he and Suzaku headed out of the ready room to the metal freight elevator that would take them up to Gipsy's conn-pod. Gipsy had an unusual design for a Mark III, one of the few with a detachable conn-pod. Similar to Romeo Blue, Lucky Seven, Vincent Gloucester and all Britannian-made Jaegers the conn-pod was separate from the body of the Jaeger in an attempt to help facilitate quick repairs and escape pod extraction of the Jaegers.

They exited the elevator, passing by the two technicians that would lock up the conn-pod behind them. They were grinning in excitement and Lelouch couldn't help but smile back. The buzz between him and Suzaku was one of anticipation – they were going to actually sortie out into combat against kaiju. Whether or not they would actually engage in battle was another question, but there was no doubt that everyone on the team was excited for the opportunity finally kick some kaiju ass.

Gipsy's conn-pod lit up before them and they stepped in, the technicians coming in after them to set their harnesses into place as they locked their boots into the magnetic mechanisms to hold them into place. The rigs latched themselves onto their suits, the technicians checking them once over before signaling that they were set.

Lelouch gave thumbs up at their gesture as they headed out, his other hand along with Suzaku's own activating the insides so that they would connect to LOCENT. “Gipsy Danger, coming online,” he called with a depression of the comm button to LOCENT.

“LOCENT acknowledges,” Euphie's voice was smooth and by rote as they went through the preparations.

“Conn-pod locked and secured,” Suzaku called back, “ready for the drop.”

“Gipsy dropping in three, two, one,” Euphie acknowledged before they heard the mechanisms that held their Jaeger's head loosen and a quick swooping feeling was felt as they were lowered onto their Jaeger. “Conn-pod, locking into place, starting pilot-to-pilot protocols in fifteen seconds.”

“Acknowledged,” Lelouch replied before he glanced over to see Suzaku with a grin on his face. “Ready?” he gestured with his chin towards the HUD that was lighting up before them.

“Can't wait,” Suzaku laughed lightly. “Happy Birthday Lelouch, we get to kick some kaiju ass!”

“Good present indeed,” Lelouch replied just as the count from Euphie reached the last few digits. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out just as the neural bridge opened between the two of them.

Visions, flashes of memories, bits and pieces of their lives floated across his eyes. He saw a glimpse of Trespasser, the vicious sense of pleasure in revenge filling him, just as he saw Manila and Hundun's destruction. They had to pay. But then, there was also the feeling of love, joy, bright emerald green eyes, perhaps a flash of purple that stared back with adoration, the feeling of a ghostly sensation of want and need, quickly replaced by the sense of trust as they stared at the map that showed a kaiju's path, chased by someone sparring in the Kwoon-

And just as suddenly they opened their eyes, connected to each other. They shared a grin again from across the rigs and lifted their left hand.

“Left hemisphere calibrated,” the on-board computer intoned.

They lifted their right hand.

“Right hemisphere calibrated.”

They curled one of their hands into a fist and slammed it into the open palm, a martial arts movement of respect and of readiness before they let their arms hand by their side. They were ready.

“Gipsy Danger, moving out onto the rollers,” Euphie's voice came over. “Prepare for pick up by Jumphawks once out of the hanger bay.”

“Roger that LOCENT,” they chimed in as they watched the HUD before them move as the rollers took them out of Anchorage's Shatterdome and out onto the sea dock platform for pickup.

“Gipsy, Marshal Kennedy on deck,” Euphie called out again.

“Gipsy,” Kennedy's voice blared in the conn-pod, “we're flying you to Attu Island for standby. Cherno Alpha is being moved to Yokohama Harbor and Lucky Seven moved to Nagasaki for fast deployment. Tacit Ronin on standby, but do not expect Ronin to sortie.”

“Copy,” Suzaku said as Lelouch activated the newest projection maps onto their HUD overlay.

Tacit Ronin had been severely damaged against Itak, requiring extensive repairs. The Jessops had gotten away with multiple drivesuit burns along with sprains and bruises, but thankfully no broken bones or any sign of radiation damage. Even though it was three months after Itak, the repairs for Ronin were only partially complete – a lot of the material used to fix the Japanese Jaeger diverted to both Nagasaki Shatterdome's construction and that of building another Jaeger for deployment.

Clanging sounds followed by a slight jerk told them that the rollers had stopped and the Jumphawks would be picking them up soon. The cone of projection did not change for now and Lelouch minimized the window as they settled in for the long haul. They had spent part of the morning trading off with the Gages on theories and potential weak points regarding the kaiju, sharing their thoughts with the other pilots in a group chat of sort at the war table before the Gages went to take their six hour break. Without actually seeing the kaiju out of the water, there was nothing much they could do but speculate.

The swooping sensation of being lifted was felt as they Jumphawks picked Gipsy up and started their trek towards Attu Island. Lelouch keyed the comm. “Milly, how's the weather?”

“Clear skies and good visibility. Rivalz spotted the same pod of whales swimming about yesterday. Looks like there's some good feeding grounds this year,” Milly's voice was a little muffled by the whirling rotors of the chopper, but she sounded happy. “We've got ETA one hour until Attu.”

“The upgrades working?” he asked.

“Running smoothly,” she sounded happy. “These babies are fast!”

Britannia had rolled out some new Jumphawk technology for all of the teams, courtesy of an agreement with the European Union. It made for faster transportation of the heavy load of the Jaegers and only worked when there was a certain weight requirement that activated the booster mode. Ragnarok was the first time all the Jumphawks in the PPDC were using the technology and it seemed like it was getting good results.

He released the comms button as they settled into the flight. The pleasant buzz of their shared thoughts, melding between anticipation and determination made for an easy peace between them until about forty-minutes into the flight when the beep of the map showed a different trajectory.

He threw the map back up and saw that the cone had changed shape. It was headed directly to the north and central Japanese coast.

“Gipsy, LOCENT Command,” Kennedy's voice crackled.

“We see it,” they replied.

“We're detouring to Sendai now, ETA ninety minutes. Romeo Blue activated following to Attu Island. Lucky Seven moving to intercept at Awaji and Osaka Harbor, ETA, eighty minutes. Cherno Alpha, holding the Miracle Mile outside of Yokohama Harbor.”

“Roger,” they acknowledged the change in orders. There was a small bit of tension that Drifted through and Lelouch glanced over to see Suzaku at the tail end of taking a deep breath and letting it out.

_We're fine._

_I know...the third attack-_

_Nothing more we can do now except kill these bastards._

_Right._

A wave of solemn appreciation drifted through them, Suzaku focusing on the here and now. Lelouch did the same as they settled back into the hum of their Drift, trust, warmth and friendship bolstering each other. This was the hardest part, waiting. It felt worse, to wait in a Jaeger that they knew they could fully operate and counter kaiju attacks. The Gages had not said so, but the fine tune tension that had been prevalent in LOCENT during Itak's attack spoke to the mood of Romeo Blue's crew.

_We should ask them if there are any coping techniques._

It was a good suggestion from Suzaku as they focused on just breathing in and out, the vast ocean sliding past their HUD as the distant forms that marked land inched closer and closer.

It was the about half an hour before they were to touchdown in Sendai that the cone instantly changed. An earthquake registering as 7.0 was being reported near the mouth of Yokohama Harbor. Not even five minutes later the fabled words “Kaiju spotted! Kaiju spotted!” Rang out in the conn-pod.

They instantly became alert, the map showing a direct line towards Tokyo Bay again. However, Cherno Alpha's marker showed an intercept of Ragnarok.

“Milly-”

“Got it, we're directing now to Tokyo. New ETA...forty-five minutes!”

“Shit, can't it go faster?!” Suzaku asked.

They couldn't let another kaiju wreck Tokyo, even though they watched the marker of Cherno Alpha nearly on top of Ragnarok.

“We're trying, Suzaku!” Milly's voice came back, sounding a little distressed. He belatedly realized that she was also worried. Ashford Academy was in Tokyo, which meant her grandfather and many of their crews' families were in danger.

_At least we know evacuations have already been issued and it won't be a problem this time,_ he reassured his partner.

_Yeah_ , Suzaku's determination flowed through their bond.

The wait felt even more oppressive as they saw the markers for Cherno and Ragnarok tangle, disengage before tangling again. It was clear Ragnarok was far more agile than the slower moving Cherno and they could only imagine the destruction that was laying waste to Yokosuka and Yokohama. The only miracle was that Ragnarok seemed more occupied with Cherno and wasn't breaking away to move towards Tokyo itself. But it was clear that Cherno was losing ground to the kaiju.

“Gipsy, LOCENT here, we're patching you into Tokyo,” Euphie's voice startled them a little before they nodded.

“Roger, Gipsy acknowledged,” Lelouch replied belatedly as he realized he hadn't verbally answered.

The clock ticked agonizingly down as they got closer and closer. It was momentarily broken as a squeal came over the comm and suddenly the familiar wash of Japanese in the background followed by muffled sounds of LOCENT came over.

“ _Tohdoh-sensei_ ,” Suzaku keyed the comm. “ _We're fifteen inbound_.”

They could see the land mass of Japan flying beneath them now, occasionally broken up by white caps and waves of blue that was the shallows. Cities, buildings looking like little upturned matchsticks, pointed upwards at them as they glided past. Little forms of cars, parks, green sprouts that were trees and parks hovered tantalizingly out of reach. But they didn't quite pay attention as a new marker popped up: Tacit Ronin.

“Ronin, ready and launching! Hang on Cherno, we're coming!” Kaori and Duc's voice blared in their conn-pod.

“Ronin, good hunting and remember to watch your left side,” Nagisa's voice was strong and both of them perked up at hearing her over the comms.

“Left side, got it,” Kaori's voice was clear.

The comms went silent once more as they watched Tacit Ronin's marker move from the Shatterdome to where Cherno Alpha was still fighting against Ragnarok. Both Jaeger and kaiju were slowly being pushed up along the coastal path similar to Onibaba. They watched the moment the dot of Ronin intercepted Ragnarok, sending it a few inches back – but was probably several hundred feet away – before Ragnarok moved faster. Ronin's marker suddenly flew into the water where it stayed.

The comms erupted with a myriad of swears and faint sounds of alarms. Ronin had been hit badly and they couldn't make out half of what was being said. Lelouch angrily swiped the map away as he and Suzaku focused on the familiar skyline of Tokyo. Onibaba's rotting carcass was still visible, most of the bones already stripped where Tokyo Tower used to stand. The remnants of the famous orange-white tower had been the killing blow to Onibaba, impaled into the skull of the kaiju so that it now stood upside down.

The choppers turn them south and saw the pillars of smoke and fire rising in the distance along with the form of Cherno Alpha, damaged in one arm, desperately holding off Ragnarok with its other arm. It was attempting to grapple with the kaiju but was losing. Ragnarok itself was of a pale pink-almost flesh like color, bleeding from a gash up its middle – more than likely courtesy of Tacit Ronin before the Jaeger had been knocked into the water. The kaiju had appendages, all of them with bulbous attachments at the end of it, making it look like it was wielding six clubs all at once. Two of the six were trapped by Cherno, while the other four attempted to pound the Jaeger. What appeared to the be the head was small and minuscule in the middle of all of the gigantic arms. It was clear this kaiju was designed to cause maximum destruction.

“Milly, drop us now!” Lelouch stabbed the comms.

“But-”

“Now!” Suzaku echoed.

They heard the snapping of the lines before the slight sensation of them falling to the ground and they crouched, absorbing the impact as they stood on the highway that curved to Yokosuka.

“Cherno, Gipsy incoming!” They called out as they pushed off and ran towards the kaiju. Suzaku stabbed the button for the horn, a resounding reverberation that warned both the incoming Cherno that they were here, but also diverted the attention of the kaiju.

They grinned behind their helmets. “Let's play motherfucker,” they growled as they activated the jets on Gipsy, flying briefly into the air. Their left fist was extended and the elbow rocket-added punch slammed into the kaiju's head, sending it reeling away from Cherno as it stumbled.

They followed after it, sliding across the ground, digging up the road and pulverizing all landscape in their way as they ducked underneath two swipes of the arms. Lelouch cranked up his right arm, the cannon loading a shot as they twisted and slid to one knee, pointing it at the back of the kaiju that was still reeling from their blow.

“Target locked,” the computer intoned and they fired.

The blast caught the back of one of the arms and to their delight and cheers, it flew high into the air, kaiju blue spraying into the sun before it flopped to the ground.

“Choppers get higher!” Someone barked, but they ignored it as they saw the kaiju stumble again, falling into the shallows of the water. It suddenly batted Cherno away with three arms, making the heavy Jaeger fall to the ground as it tried to regain its balance.

Ragnarok turned opened its maw and screamed. They laughed in its face as they pushed up from the ground and charged at it again. The kaiju met them halfway as they clashed. They blocked two clubbing blows, taking two in the stomach that sucked the air out of them and sent some feedback. Ignoring it, they twisted towards the inside where they punched it in the center with another elbow-rocket fueled blow, sending it back a few feet away from them. Blood splashed out of the original wound made by Ronin as the flesh tore around it.

They charged after it again, ducking and rolling to their feet to hammer at two of the lower appendages before trying to upper cut, but instead, crossed their arms across their head to avoid three limbs trying to club them into the ground. The pounding reverberation made them glance up to see Cherno slamming a tesla-coiled fist into the kaiju's face, spraying blue everywhere before it was a fury of flying limbs and they found themselves suddenly kicked.

Lelouch and Suzaku coughed and reeled from the force of the hit as they slammed into a nearby building. Groaning, they shook their heads, trying to clear the sudden feeling of stars in their vision as they pushed themselves up to see Cherno once again, slammed into the ground by Raganrok. The kaiju was still reeling from its wounds, blue spraying everywhere. They got to their knees and stood up, one hand gripped on the remnants of the skyscraper they had been slammed into as they took a moment to catch their breath.

The elbow rockets were almost out of fuel having burned most of it in the two blows they managed to hit onto the beast. But they did notice that the chest cavity was a little collapsed, meaning that they had wounded it a lot.

“We need a weapon,” they muttered as they cast around, one eye warily on Ragnarok.

“Gipsy, it's headed back to you!” Rivalz warned.

“Roger!” they replied curtly as they tried to find-

“Genius,” the both said as they saw the kaiju charge at them again. They met the charge, grappling with the kaiju for a moment before firing their jets to throw the beast off balance. As it reeled, they ducked under the meaty blows and shifted their stance, scooping up the weapon they were going to use against it.

Completing the turn, they gripped it tightly, the spurt of blood squishing against their fingers as they felt for the bone. They swung just as Ragnarok turned to face them again. It staggered under the blow of its own discarded arm. Kaiju blue spurted everywhere, but they didn't care as they yelled, swinging the meaty arm like a club against the beast again. The kaiju opened its maw as it tried to regain its footing and they shuffled stepped forward, raising the gruesomely improvised weapon and brought it down hard.

The small head caved in and more blue blood sprayed into the air. However, they still saw movement as its arms twitched, flailed and suddenly lunged at them. Lelouch and Suzaku were sent back against their rig with a grunt as two clubbed digits, still attached to the kaiju punched them. They regained their footing, loosening one hand on the arm they were holding to steady themselves and was about to step forward again to deliver the final blow when sudden, twin sharp blades pierced the kaiju from above.

The nimble form of Lucky Seven followed shortly after, slamming from high up into the kaiju, sending it into the ground as both Jaeger and kaiju made a small impact crater.

“Die motherfucker!” Gino and the distorted voice of Lucky Seven's other half reverberated around the comm as they twisted their twin blades on their arms just so- Ragnarok's life signs zeroed out with a tonal beep.

They stared numbly at the sight as Lucky Seven rose up from the crater, retracting the blades into its arms. It registered a second later that the kaiju was dead. They blinked, staring at the unmoving form in the crater. It was _dead_...

Lelouch couldn't help the laugh that fell from his lips as the overwhelming sense of satisfaction, joy, righteousness and the sense of _right_ flowed through him. He turned, finding Suzaku with the same expression of shock, surprise and the same sense of _right_ staring back at him.

“We did it...” they murmured, dropping Ragnarok's arm that they had used to the ground with a wet, meaty thunk. They stared down at the blue that coated their hands. It burned, but it felt _good_. A primal sense of satisfaction replaced what used to be horror at the sight of the sheer amount of blood on their hands.

_We fought our first kaiju._


	13. Knight Arc - Part V

Lelouch and Suzaku rode high on the victory – even though Lucky Seven technically got the kill – Gipsy Danger and Cherno Alpha credited with assistance – of Ragnarok's defeat in Yokohama Harbor. The medics had peeled them out of their drivesuits, tending to the minor burns received from the battle. They went through the post-combat checkups which included MRI scans among other things. Gipsy Danger was to be scrubbed of most kaiju blood before being transported back to Anchorage by Jumphawk in a few days for repairs.

She had done well for her first outing, her armor dented and a few joints damaged from the rocket elbow, but overall, she was a healthy Jaeger. Cherno Alpha was moderately damaged, their pilots whisked away to a private medical room to heal the bruises, sprains and a broken arm.

Tacit Ronin was not so lucky. Both Kaori and Duc suffered neural overload when a direct hit to a sensitive spot on Ronin damaged the Pons system. It was a miracle they didn't drown in the harbor after Ronin had fallen face first into it after that blow. The last Lelouch heard was that they were both in a coma in a hospital and Dr. Lightcap was already on her way from the Academy to come up with a treatment plan.

Lucky Seven was the only one who got away with little to no damage except for a few scuffs, but their pilots had also been checked over and were returning to Hong Kong Shatterdome by way of Jumphawk. All Rangers, including those who had been on standby, were given a mandatory forty-eight hours of leave after returning to their Shatterdomes. In Lelouch and Suzaku's case, they were temporary residents of Tokyo's Shatterdome while Gipsy under went kaiju blue scrubbing.

They had been given a room to stay in. The two didn't really pay much attention to the room, wanting to celebrate with Milly, Rivalz and their Jumphawk crews. It was only towards the beginning of the third hour, while they had been going through the MRI scans, that the two of them realized post-combat Drifting was quite different than the other times they've Drifted. In their minds, they could feel the other like they had never felt before outside of the Pons. They existed as one, as a whole, the laughter and joy shared between each other, the remnants of memories flitting through their minds.

Then, something seemed to change in an instant – maybe because he knew Suzaku had that  _ smile _ he loved, or perhaps it was Lelouch with that confident smirk of gaining the upper hand.

It was like getting a thousand jolt shock to his- to their system, the sudden and intense surge of emotion rising in them. There was love, mingled with affection, desire and the strong urge to suddenly  _ touch _ . And in that sense of touch, the feeling of shared pleasures, of wanting more of it.

Whatever it was, it rebounded back and forth making them feel lightheaded as they were dismissed by the technicians, finally done with the post-combat checkups. They left the medical ward, their hands entwined together. What should have been a turn to find their teammates turned instead, into an elevator ride up, then exiting into a hallway. Somewhere along the hallway they didn't know who was suddenly kissing who, but it felt  _ good _ and they wanted more of it.  _ They _ needed more of it.

Lelouch barely felt the impact against the wall as he pressed his lips against Suzaku's neck, making him groan. It sent a thrill straight down into his pants. He laughed huskily, his hands digging through Suzaku's shirt, trying to rip them off at the same time he could feel hands undoing the belt to his own pants.

“Not-” he panted, trying to stave off the rise in desire even as it echoed in his mind, doubling the intense pleasure he was feeling.

“Yes- here-”

“S-Suzaku...” he protested before groaning again as his lover kissed a particularly sensitive spot over his collarbone. He fumbled for the door to their room, his fingers mashing against the keypad, hoping that it was at least the right combination-

The beep and release of the door indicated that he had succeeded and the two of them went tumbling in.

Lelouch laughed, arching his neck as Suzaku trailed wet, sloppy kisses, kicking the door unceremoniously close behind them. He felt himself being pressed up against it once more. It felt  _ heady; _ the feeling of passion, and of an insatiable need. While a part of him knew it was the ghost Drift, no one had said post-combat Drifting was like being drunk in each other's minds as they attempted to ripped their clothes off.

His lowered his chin and kissed Suzaku deeply on the lips, the feel of it far more sensual. It was like he could  _ feel _ Suzaku respond to the kiss, in more ways than one judging by the sensation he could feel in their minds, in their mouths and other parts of their bodies. He broke it off, trying to catch his breath, before hungrily kissing him some more just as he felt Suzaku push against him, finally dropping their pants, grinding them together. He almost lost it as he groaned, louder this time, hooking a leg behind Suzaku's own.

“Bed- now-” he barely got the demand out, scrabbling to push off of the door. There was a muffled grunt, of the thought of  _ want _ as Suzaku carried the two of them the short distance. Lelouch fell backwards, taking his partner with him and he let himself go, their minds already sinking into the incredible wave of pleasure, of need and of just pure ecstasy. His- Their last lingering thought before all coherency went out of the window with lust and want taking over their mind, his mind, was that the post-combat Drift was  _ definitely _ something else.

* * *

Lelouch awoke to the very sleepy feeling of fingers gently carding through his hair. He made a small noise of contentment and felt the echo of affection, coasting through his mind, as awareness returned to his body. He could feel Suzaku's body pressed against his own, the warmth of his lover's chest cradling him as he leaned against it. Lelouch felt incredibly sore as he gingerly stretched his limp muscles underneath the sheet pulled over them. One of his hands was still entwined with Suzaku's, a lingering reminder of what had happened – being taken twice left him thoroughly satisfied with hazy pleasure. His other hand had lingered on the inside of Suzaku's thigh. He impishly started to trace small circles as he became more awake.

He felt his lover twitch a little at the touch, almost shying away before more affection poured in their bond.

“As much as I'd like to go a third time Lelouch, I don't think your body can handle it,” Suzaku's voice rumbled quietly above his own. He opened his eyes and looked up to see his partner staring down at him with a soft smile on his face. His emerald green eyes were dark with sated contentment.

“Why not?” Lelouch asked. He tried to move, but found that some of his muscles were so sore that they felt heavy and deadened. They protested his attempts at movement rather painfully. The pain must have shown on his face.

“Told you...” his lover whispered, before kissing him gently on the lips. Lelouch tasted the salt of sweat against the softness of Suzaku's lips.

“Don't worry-”

Suzaku chuckled quietly and kissed him again before continuing to run his fingers through his hair. Lelouch hummed quietly. Whereas, he thought it felt nice and soothing, but now, it felt like he could just melt into the ministrations and sleep. He fought to keep himself awake. It was only fair that Suzaku at least get some satisfaction out of the marathon sex they had engaged in.

“I'm happy, Lelouch,” his thoughts must have projected towards his partner, as Suzaku murmured his words into his hair, planting a series of gentle kisses in them. “You worry too much about me.”

“But-”

“Trust me when I say...I was very satisfied with what we did,” Suzaku soothed him.

“...Are you sure?”

“I am,” his lover replied before lowering his head a little bit so that his lips brushed against Lelouch's ears. “I love fucking you into the bed...watching you come to pieces.” He whispered almost without a single sound save for the barest mouthing of the words.

Lelouch shivered, an unbidden smile coming to his lips. He turned to look up to see Suzaku staring down with the same smile. Satisfaction with a hint of smugness rolled through them, chased by the afterglow sated pleasures. However, Lelouch would not be deterred. “Next time, my turn,” he replied.

Suzaku chuckled quietly, his laughter ending in a bit of a stuttering breath as his leg twitched in response to Lelouch's ministrations of small circles up a little higher towards the spot he  _ knew _ his partner was quite sensitive to.

“But not now...”

A hand snaked down and captured his own before lifting it out of the blankets. However, before Suzaku could think to kiss it, Lelouch reversed the grip and took his lover's hand to his own lips, kissing them with gentleness and thankfulness for all that had happened. Lelouch folded the hand over his own stomach when he was done, still exhausted. He surrendered once more to the warmth and protectiveness of Morpheus' embrace.

* * *

They made love again the next time Lelouch awakened. His body ached more than it felt like the dead weight of the previous time, but it was enough to pleasure Suzaku and watch him lose control of himself. It was a thing of beauty, in Lelouch's opinion, and this time he was the one to hold his lover as Suzaku cuddled into him afterwards. They dozed in each other's arms, drowsy and content.

Lelouch was in a light sleep when Suzaku's phone rang.

“ _ Hello? _ ” Suzaku answered sleepily in Japanese.

Lelouch didn't think much of it until he felt the stirrings of confusion pulse quietly across their bond. He couldn't hear who was speaking to Suzaku or what was being said, but it awakened him as the confusion became a little more incessant.

“ _ All right, we'll be there soon _ ,” Suzaku replied before hanging up the phone. The blankets and body shifted underneath Lelouch and he thought to protest coming out of warm sleepy cocoon. His hand automatically tightened around Suzaku's hip where it had been draped rather possessively, curling around the curve of the bone and muscle.

Suzaku turned to face him, landing a gentle kiss on his nose. “Tohdoh wants to see us...”

“It's...” Lelouch tried to make his brain work a little more as he absently glanced at the phone in Suzaku's hand. He squinted against the sleepiness he felt, blearily reading the numbers date and time. “We've got...another eighteen-hours left? I think...” They had not quite understood, until now, why Ranger Protocols allowed forty-eight hours of leave immediately after combat, even when the medics were still clearing them for any sign of injury.

The ghost Drift was lessening between them, he could feel it already as he came further awake, but the first twenty-four hours had been...intense. Intense could not even begin to describe what he had felt riding both the victorious high of Ragnarok's defeat, but also of post-combat adrenaline. The initial need for their grounding technique of cuddling, kissing and holding hands had been nice until the tiniest bit of desire flared in them and had crested like an incoming tidal wave, washing over them until they felt like they  _ had _ to go at it to sate a need, to scratch an itch.

Lelouch honestly did not know he had that much of a need to have sex, his own comfort in his sexuality and lack of an active sex life quite happy for most of the time even before he had started to Drift with Suzaku. The surge of urgent need to do it had taken him with some surprise.

“Tohdoh sounded worried,” Suzaku murmured before kissing him again. “Though he says when we can...”

Lelouch spluttered a little, and felt it  _ echo _ in this bond before blinking. He saw a small hint of laughter appear on Suzaku's face as he had also felt the sensation. Lelouch still didn't know how he felt about Tohdoh knowing he was actively sleeping with Suzaku – even with this particular phone call. Whenever they decided to show up in front of the Marshal, there was no denying the fact that Tohdoh would know that they had been actively having sex. Or the even more embarrassing thought that Tohdoh might have interrupted them.

He wondered if this was how regular teenagers felt when confronted by their parents.

“Tohdoh gets it, Lelouch,” Suzaku reached down to pick up his hand and lace their fingers through. Lelouch ducked his head, knowing that his discomfort and bit of mortification must have bled through. “He's combat-Drifted before. He even warned me...”

“...When?”

“Oahu,” Suzaku smiled, but he wasn't looking at him and instead at their entwined fingers. The sensation and thought of beautiful elegant long fingers floated through their bond.

Lelouch blinked, surprised. “O-Oahu?” That was  _ months _ ago. Even before they graduated, when they were still in the nascent form of their friendship, much less even a physical relationship. He had been worrying over his growing lust for Suzaku back then in the week before Term 3. But...to hear it said by his best friend...

“Trust me, it's a lot more embarrassing to talk to a man you respect and consider a father about your sex life than anything else,” Suzaku laughed quietly. His thumb gently rubbed the callouses on Lelouch's palm as he held their hands up, watching it in contemplative thought. “It's even worse when  _ his _ Drift partner joins in.”

“N-Nagisa?”

Suzaku nodded. “She's like an older sister to me, teasing too. But they get it...even though I think I didn't quite listen or understand it back then. Now...I do. It was sound advice...and...I'm glad they did talk to me.”

Lelouch was silent for a few minutes as he absently stared up, beyond their entwined hands. “...Can I ask?”

“Tohdoh...was concerned about us,” Suzaku replied. “More for the fact that he sensed we weren't getting along in Term 1 and then suddenly-”

“Term 2 Drift compatible,” Lelouch finished for him.

“He wanted to make sure that I was in a mindset in which I could build the foundation of friendship before all of the other physical and mental aspects came into play. I guess...he was surprised I had fallen in love with you really fast.”

“You don't fall fast?” Lelouch was curious. Suzaku never talked about the others he had been with. Lelouch never thought to ask even though he knew his friend had relationships before him. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was that he figured if Suzaku wanted to talk about it, he would – if he didn't then it was fine. It didn't bother him.

“I've had three, well, two and half relationships in the three years before I met you,” his partner said. “The half one was more...maybe mutual comfort than anything else. We were friends, but we weren't together in that sense.”

“Dr. Saiki?” Lelouch guessed.

Suzaku's chest puffed a little as he snorted. “I thought I did sense a bit of jealousy.”

“I figured it was because of Hundun and the clean up of kaiju blue,” Lelouch explained. He felt his partner nod above him, strands of damp hair brushing against his forehead. “I don't know why I was jealous... Sorry...”

“Don't be. It's in the past,” Suzaku replied, “Dr. Saiki and I did stay close though. We talked a lot about research into kaiju blue. When he found out I was in the PPDC he did ask me for a few favors to send him the latest scientific data that wasn't classified for treatment purposes and I obliged him.”

Lelouch sighed quietly as he closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself amiss the contended hum that flowed through their bond. It felt a lot less active now, a lot less like touching a live wire with an electrical current of feelings nearly overwhelming him, the urgent needs and feelings seemingly dulled by the passage of time. He opened his eyes as he let his hand slip from Suzaku's own and drop back onto the bed. It was joined not seconds later, a gentle finger tip running up and down his arm, making him shiver a little.

“We should at least make the attempt if he called this early,” Lelouch murmured, not really wanting to get up, but knowing that they at least should. “If not...food or something.”

Suzaku's stomach apparently heard him as the two of them paused for a second to hear it gurgle in response. Lelouch laughed, joined seconds later as he felt the small wave of embarrassment wash through his partner. He turned his head and kissed Suzaku quickly.

“Food first,” he said.

“All right,” he partner agreed as they started the process to disentangle themselves from the sheets. It was a little bit of a laborious process, Lelouch feeling similarly like the first time he had sex, but he was more amused by the fact that Suzaku was also wincing in some pain.

Suzaku sighed, sitting up, not caring that the sheets barely covered his waist. He ran a hand down his face as he stretched wide. Lelouch ducked under an arm as he gingerly stood up. “Gages were right...post-combat Drifting...”

“Disappointed?” Lelouch turned back as he picked through their discarded clothes. He grabbed the boxers that had been thrown haphazardly to the side and tossed Suzaku's his own. Before he grimaced as he saw the slightly wrinkled and ripped remains of the shirt he had tried to pretty much claw off of his lover while they had been feeling each other up.

“Check the drawers,” Suzaku glanced at him. “And the only disappointment? Maybe...not going another round?” He raked him up and down with a suggestive look.

Lelouch rolled his eyes and picked his way to the drawer that was in the room, pulling it open to find someone had left varying sizes of PT clothing. “How thoughtful...” he muttered as he checked the sizes and tossed one pair to Suzaku while taking another of his own.

“It's a little creepy, but I wouldn't put it past  _ Tohdoh-sensei _ to be  _ that _ prepared,” Suzaku admitted.

“If they had underwear or pajamas, I would have immediately taken the first Jumphawk out of here,” Lelouch shot back as he headed into the bathroom and closed the door with a click.

“Still not big enough?” He heard his lover call out through the door.

“No,” he replied with a exasperated shake of his head.

With that, he flipped the shower on and quickly cleaned himself off, enjoying the feel of the hot spray of the shower on his aching muscles. Anchorage's heaters were nearly not hot enough for his tastes, but he supposed it was because of the way it had been built along with the power consumption needed. He finished showering and toweling off, changing into his clothes and exiting the bathroom with a cloud steam billowing out.

“Did you just lobster yourself, Lelouch?” Suzaku stared at him for a second and he shrugged.

“I like hot showers,” he replied.

Suzaku merely shook his head before taking his turn in the bathroom, though he did throw a crooked grin at Lelouch as he caught him watching him move from the bed to the bathroom in the buff. Lelouch didn't have to wait long for Suzaku to finish as he came out, sending another puff of steam into their room. It was clear Suzaku also needed the hot water to relax his own aches and pains.

They made the effort to at least take the heavily soiled sheets and pillowcases and dumped them into the bin to be washed later, along with the clothing that might have been salvageable – trashing the obviously ripped ones – before putting a clean bedspread back onto the bed. If they had about eighteen hours left of their leave then they would probably use the room later to sleep.

Task done, their way to the mess hall, their fingers occasionally touching, the pleasant hum of the post-combat Drift fading into the more familiar feelings and impressions of the bond. There was still the slight occasional surge of the ghost Drift, but it didn't bother them as much as before now. Grabbing some food, they finished eating quickly and headed to the Field Marshal's office where Tohdoh was probably in. The Gages were right – all the Shatterdomes were built so similarly that they really did not need to memorize the rooms, just the vagueness of where everything was.

The Field Marshal's office was incidentally near LOCENT. They saw one or two of the technicians exiting from the control room talking with one another with gesticulating hands. Stopping by the door to the office, Suzaku knocked.

“ _ Marshal Tohdoh, Rangers Lamperouge and Kururugi reporting _ ,” he said in Japanese.

“ _ Enter _ ,” Tohdoh's voice was muffled, but they opened the door.

His office was spacious and very simplistic, unlike Marshal Kennedy's office which had stacks of paper, books and a couple of scientific experiments in it. Tohdoh opted for simplistic elegance, giving his office a rather soothing feel. A miniature war table was set to the side with a hardlight projection of Ragnarok's statistics and data. Lelouch was immediately drawn towards it, but the wash of amusement from Suzaku made him turn to see his friend giving him a slightly crooked smile at his actions.

He bit his lip and instead, headed to where Tohdoh was sitting in front of his desk. Maybe he could examine the war table later. As he looked around, he saw an open door leading to an adjoining office and Nagisa getting up from her desk to enter the room.

“ _ Nagisa-san! _ ” Suzaku was happy and bowed slightly towards her to which she returned. Lelouch merely nodded at her. She looked a lot better than the last time they had seen her. Color was back in her face, and though her hair was still shorter than what they were used to – a side effect of the radiation therapy – she looked quite her normal self.

“ _ Suzaku-kun, Lelouch-kun, _ ” Nagisa greeted them. She was holding a PDA in her hands as they turned back to Tohdoh who had looked up, a stoic fondness in his eyes.

“We're sorry to have bothered you on your leave,” Tohdoh gestured for them to relax to a more at-ease posture.

“It's not a bother,” Suzaku took the lead and shrugged. “It was important enough.” He tilted his head slightly. “Is it about  _ Kaori-san _ and Duc?”

Tohdoh shook his head. “No, though they are still in a coma. Dr. Lightcap has arrived and is examining them. Preliminary investigation indicates that there are no signs of brain damage, but because it is experimental technology...”

Lelouch grimaced and felt the pulse of sorrow between them. He flicked a quick look at Suzaku who met his own gaze with a solemn nod. “Please give our best to them when you can, sir.”

“I will,” Tohdoh nodded. He took a breath and let it out before he reached underneath his desk and pulled out a very familiar looking device. However, he didn't activate it and instead, set the bug diffuser on his desk. “I...we are aware of the nature of your partnership, and while this room has been swept twice daily for bugs and cameras, if you are more comfortable talking with this on, I will turn it on for you.”

Lelouch's stomach soured as he stared at the device. He did not like where this conversation was already headed. The fact that Tohdoh had one of these fabled things on him was quite telling, but he also wondered where the hell did the Marshal get one. As far as he knew, they were Britannian-made only and even then, given in rare circumstances since Schneizel was the only one he had seen with one. The Gages had one, but they were the Knights of Two so it was easy to see where they would acquire one. He and Suzaku had been given one during their media tour and it had never been used since their time in Britannian Homeland.

Tohdoh having one...that really said something to Lelouch, but he knew he was not awake enough to really puzzle the mystery out at the moment.

He didn't need to look at Suzaku to know that even he was staring at the device with some trepidation. But the barest feeling of assent was there. “We're okay,” Lelouch answered.

Tohdoh nodded and set the device to the side. He laced his fingers together. “First, excellent work on your efforts to defeat Ragnarok. Though officially you are credited with the assist and Lucky Seven with the kill, you have garnered a lot of admiration from your fellow PPDC personnel in your...unconventional fight with the kaiju.”

Suzaku snorted softly and Lelouch agreed with the sentiment. Half clubbing the kaiju to death with its own severed limb was...unconventional to say the least.

“Second, the government of Japan sends its heartfelt thanks for your efforts on behalf of the people,” Tohdoh breezed past the words and Lelouch suppressed the rueful smile that threatened to appear on his face. It was clear that no one really cared for the words even though they came from the Prime Minister's office. “The Ministry of Health though, requests that some care be taken when using weapons not within PPDC regulations in killing kaiju.”

Suzaku winced and Lelouch did the same. The sheer amount of kaiju blood that must have spilled all over Yokosuka when they severed the limb and beat the living crap out of the beast must have been great.

“We're sorry,” Suzaku murmured. However there was no platitudes of being careful next time as everyone in the room knew that they would do it again if they have to. It was just more of an awareness of how much kaiju blood was shed and where it was shed. Yokosuka and Yokohama Harbor may not recover from the attack at this point.

Tohdoh nodded once. “This brings us up to the third point. A couple of rumors have begun to develop regarding the two of you.”

“Here,” Nagisa stepped forward and handed Lelouch the PDA.

He moved it over a little so Suzaku could see too. [ **Psychology of combat: Can trauma create need for brutal violence?** ] The headline in of itself was rather innocuous, but it was specifically paired with the image of Gipsy Danger, half shrouded in smoke and the fires nearby, holding the remnants of Ragnarok's arm with kaiju blood splattered across her chest, arms and parts of her legs.

It was a very feral-looking image.

“Swipe,” Nagisa stated quietly and Lelouch obeyed.

[ **Psychologists still examining impact of kaiju attacks on developing minds.** ] Underneath the headline were the official PPDC headshots of him, Suzaku, Knight of Three Gino Weinberg – and surprisingly Cherno Alpha's pilot pair Leila Breisgau and Akito Hyuga. But the implication was clear, they were all the youngest of the PPDC Rangers, or underage when Trespasser first made landfall.

He swiped again.

[ **What is Drift Compatibility? Examining threads of companionship of Drift partners.** ] The image accompanying this one was of him and Suzaku at the morning interview show in Britannia.

He swiped one more time and paled.

[ **Brutality of Ragnarok Fight Revealed! Minds connected produces more than just combat ability. Are Rangers Lamperouge and Kururugi closer than friends?** ] This one had the same feral-looking image of Gipsy Danger standing shrouded in smoke and fire, but it was the headline that kept staring back at him.

He found his mouth a little dry as he blinked. A quick glance at Suzaku showed the open shock on his face as he too, couldn't tear his eyes away from the headline. The two of them finally looked up after a few minutes of silence to find both Nagisa and Tohdoh looking at them with a neutral look. Nagisa showed a little more sympathy, but even then, it wasn't that much and for that, Lelouch was grateful.

“...They know? About...us?” Suzaku asked quietly.

“The article is speculative, and is mostly leaning on the other articles regarding what we've released to the public about Drift compatibility and Ranger partnership. But this was the first headline to speculate about your relationship,” Nagisa explained.

“It won't be the last,” Lelouch finished for her and she nodded solemnly. He let out a slow breath as his mind considered the possibilities. “It would be easy to ignore. Most Ranger pairs have probably dealt with this on some level, but...”

“We've got the world's eye on us,” Suzaku murmured next to him. He felt a surge of grim determination and glanced over to see his partner shaking his head. “Fuck them,” he said with some spite. “I don't care.”

Tohdoh cleared his throat lightly.

“Sorry sir,” Suzaku hastily apologized, but there was little to no apology in the emotions he was feeling. “This is...” he trailed off as he shook his head. “This is bull, sir. This-”

“What happens if we ignore it?” Lelouch cut in, sending a sense of calm through their bond. Suzaku closed his mouth, fuming, but nonetheless, let him take the lead.

“It could go away on its own. The Japanese aren't going to rake you over the coals. But Britannia-”

Lelouch sighed as he nodded. “Court gossip.” He wanted to swear, but judging by how well Tohdoh had taken Suzaku's, he instead, let it drop in their shared bond. It was affirmed not even a second later by Suzaku. He handed the PDA back to Nagisa and rubbed his eyebrow as he considered the possibilities. “Not my first time dealing with rumors,” he muttered. “Usually, it can be waved away and fade into the background of gossip. Britannians know better than openly speculate on the royals and the...colorful lives. But...”

“You're a civilian,” Suzaku murmured next to him.

“Consequences if this ends up blowing up is that it will affect PPDC recruitment and potential drift compatibility with others. Sibling pairs would be scrutinized. Non-sibling ones already rife with assumptions,” Lelouch muttered. “...Shit.” All of the warnings the Gages had told their Academy class came rushing back. He knew he could not let such scrutiny fall upon them, nor on the others who were set to graduate. It would not be fair to them or to the war efforts.

Yet he was really leaning a lot towards Suzaku's mentality towards this apparent and incoming scandal that he knew would more than likely take a life of its own. Honestly, he wondered if it could be called a scandal considering he wasn't ashamed of his relationship. But he also was very well aware of the public sentiment and what PPDC higher ups may think.

He continued to rub his eyebrow, feeling a slight bit of a headache forming. “Schneizel's going to push for Knighthood. No way he's going to let this opportunity slip by him.”

He didn't need to know that the three Japanese in the room stiffened at his words. From Suzaku he could feel a slight bit of puzzlement, but also of affirmation. His lips twitched slightly in response. Suzaku honestly did not mind being his Knight, even if it was a shared secret between them and he appreciated it, but he didn't want to upset the balance of equality between them. Knighthood was far less important to him than having his partner be there next to him.

He lowered his hand as he stared at Tohdoh, but in reality addressed the others. “It would also be hypocritical of what we've been saying too if I- we- caved this easily,” he stated. “Knighthood is the easiest route out. Knight and Royal pairs are much more easily accepted in Britannian society along with the rumors that follow the pairings. But that leaves the rest of the world to figure out the apparent subordination.”

“Japan's goodwill would evaporate very quickly,” Tohdoh's eyes were steady.

“And so would the world's for that matter. The E.U. wouldn't look upon it kindly either,” Suzaku sighed next to him as a silence fell in the office.

They both knew the next easiest conclusion was to go public with their relationship. But neither of them wanted to open it up to such vicious scrutiny. All of their lives would be instantly dissected, speculated, analyzed as people put forth their own theories and assumptions about the two of them. People would fixate on them, become aggressive with their questions, their careers as Rangers would be secondary as the public would only feed on the superficial qualities. And the biggest thing would be the  _ labels _ . The one thing Lelouch absolutely detested. Labels would be attached to him, to Suzaku, to everything.

“Can...I ask about what Knighthood entails? Just for my own awareness?” Nagisa asked quietly.

Lelouch glanced at her and nodded. “It's not like Villetta's Knighthood. She does not have a royal to protect and instead, is elevated to a stature to fit her subordination to Margrave Gottwald.”

He pointed to himself. “In this case, I become a royal again. There's no way they would give me a different title. It would be considered an insult and also would upend noble society and the norms – as much as that thought amuses me.” He smiled darkly before sobering. “Suzaku becomes my Knight. He is subordinated to me and has to obey every single order he is given if I wish it or if one of my siblings' senior knights orders him to do something. There is also the fact that he would be in greater danger as one of the primary jobs of a Knight is to essentially be a meat shield.”

He could see Nagisa and Tohdoh wince at the crassness of his words, but to him it was quite simply that. Suzaku would have to sacrifice himself for any danger that threatened him. He would not allow that.

Nagisa sighed quietly, cross her arms across her chest as she stared at them. “It doesn't sound like we have any good options...”

“No,” Lelouch glanced at Suzaku as the two of them shook their heads.

Her lips turned downward and she looked sad. Even Tohdoh looked pensive.

“ _ It's fine, Nagisa-san, Tohdoh-sensei. We'll get through this... _ ” Suzaku murmured suddenly. “ _ We know you mean well, and we thank you for it, but it's something we have to decide. _ ”

Tohdoh stared at them for a long moment before nodding once. Nagisa sighed again and let her arms hang by her side.

“ _ You'll keep us in the loop, right? _ ” she asked.

Suzaku smiled. “ _ I will. _ ”

She swallowed, her smile was more a grimace than an actual smile. Tohdoh, meanwhile, looked at them. “Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Rangers. Please enjoy the rest of your leave. And again, on behalf of the personnel here and of Japan, thank you for your efforts against Ragnarok.”

“Sir,” they straightened, bowing once in respect and left the office, the door sliding close behind them. As one, they decided to head to the hanger bay – maybe seeing Gipsy would at least soothe some of the uneasiness they felt. But Lelouch could not help but wonder if the avalanche had already begun – it was too late for the pebbles to vote.


	14. Knight Arc - Part VI

Riding back to Anchorage Shatterdome in Milly's Jumphawk was an interesting experience. Though he and Suzaku had practiced recovery drills from Gipsy to the Jumphawk, never had they sat in one for the long haul. The additional speed that had gotten their Jaeger from Anchorage to Tokyo was not in use, so they had to make do with a relatively longer flight back. It was relative, because they still moved faster than a commercial aircraft, but long enough that Lelouch thought his legs were about to go numb from sitting in the barely padded seats.

Milly kept up a stream of aimless chatter that he was happy to engage in, keeping himself and Suzaku occupied. But she occasionally shot them worried looks when the conversation lapsed. It was clear that she knew about the recent spate of headlines – more than like the one that was speculative about their relationship. Milly was a good barometer for gossip and speculation in his opinion – considering all of her excitement over their media tour.

Yet he hesitated to ask her about it. He did not want to involve the team in something he felt was intensely personal. Instead, he merely kept up the inane chatter, noting the pods of whales and asking Rivalz about them as they got closer to Anchorage. When they landed, it was to the cheers of Euphie and the rest of their team and Lelouch's spirits were raised as they threw an impromptu celebration in the airfield.

Euphie hugged the two of them tightly, pressing kisses to each of their cheeks before she cheered along with the rest of them as they made their way from the airfield into the hanger bays. Gipsy was set on rollers by their Jumphawks and the war machine was slowly berthed.

If he had to anthropomorphize his own Jaeger, he would have thought she looked quite smug – with dents and signs of damage – as if proudly showing off her scars to her 'brother' Jaeger, Romeo Blue.

The next few weeks would be dedicated to her repair as the initial team of technicians and engineers would carefully go over each and every inch of the Jaeger to ensure that no leftover kaiju blood was on it before the next team would go in and fix the Jaeger. Though Gipsy had been scrubbed in Japan, a second check was needed due to the dents in her armor. They did not need anyone on their team getting sick from kaiju blue because they were careless.

As everyone came into the hanger bay, they were greeted with even more cheers from team Romeo Blue. The Knights of Two led the cheers, congratulating them on their first kaiju action and help of a kill. Even Marshal Kennedy had a proud look on her face, though she kept her stoic calm and mannerisms among the revelers. She left as soon as an impromptu celebration started up with both crews, more than likely not wanting to hand out demerits to anyone who might have been caught doing something against the rules.

Drinks were brought out and someone raided the mess hall for food items. Two TVs were hauled from somewhere and a movie blared – one of the latest Britannian ones that was all loud explosions and some gung-ho knight-hero against some dastardly villain attempting to overthrow the Empire. There was supposed to be a car chase somewhere in there judging by the screech of tires over the din of revelers, gamers and poker players.

Throughout the night, not one word was said about the headlines. It seemed no one cared to the point where Lelouch thought he could actually forget, until he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He had been watching the poker match doled out by the twins against Euphie, himself, Suzaku and Amanda. He had folded early and watched as Euphie slowly raised the stakes, bluffing and sweetly smiling as the twins furiously tried to match her bets.

Amanda watched with some interest too, having folded shortly after he did. Suzaku was still hanging in there, though Lelouch could tell his friend more than likely had a bad hand, but was greatly amused by Euphie's masterful handling of the Knights of Two. A crowd formed around them, some interested by the game, others taking Rivalz's reputation for creating highly entertaining betting pools and trying to figure out who would win first.

Lelouch pulled his phone out of his pocket, the initial joy he felt lessening as he saw who was calling. He felt the ghost of a concern and saw Suzaku glancing at him, having felt his mood sour a little.

Lelouch shook his head, waving his friend to go back to the game while he got up and headed away from the crowd, holding his phone in his hand. As soon as the doors to the hanger bay closed, he answered.

“Schneizel,” he greeted rather neutrally. He had a feeling why his older half-brother was calling.

“Is that any way to greet your favorite older brother, Lelouch?” Schneizel's voice was warm. The fact that he addressed him by his name instead of rank told Lelouch that this was a social call – not an official one from the Prime Minister of Britannia nor the head of the Board of Governors for the PPDC.

“Henrietta and I are getting along swimmingly,” he shot back. It was not exactly true. He and Marshal Kennedy seemingly tolerated one another. He still disliked her command style nor the fact that she some times upended things without explanation and expected him to just follow her orders, but she was prompt when it counted.

He heard a sigh from his older brother. “There is no need to be so petty, Lelouch. I only wished to talk with you.”

“So, talk,” Lelouch snapped, but it was not without much malice.

“Can you head to the war room then? You'll need to put in an administrative code into the communications system and transfer the call there.”

Lelouch bit his lip. He instantly knew what this was about. “...Really?” he muttered.

“Please,” Schneizel's voice was quiet, sincere even.

He stared at nothing in particular for a long moment, weighing the pros and cons of just hanging up on his older brother. On one hand, it would behoove him to listen to what Schneizel had to say. On another, he really did not want this to be the first of probably what was most likely annoying and incessant calls from his older brother. Maybe even future calls from Cornelia.

“Lelouch, I know you're still there and I know you're probably thinking. I just want to talk, that's all,” Schneizel suddenly spoke. Lelouch closed his eyes briefly, gritting his teeth.

“I'm not-”

“Please, Lelouch. Just hear me out. You don't have to make a decision. I just want to talk,” his brother's voice was soothing, smooth, sincere.

Lelouch trembled for a moment before opening his eyes and nodding, even though he knew Schneizel would not see it. “All right, text me the codes and I'll call you from the room.”

“Thank you,” was the warm reply before the line disconnected.

A series of alpha-numeric numbers appeared not even a second later and Lelouch headed to the elevator. He took it up and arrived at the war room in short order. He closed the door behind him, flicking the lock to secure it before he punched in the code into the war room's table and then dialed Schneizel's number again.

His brother's face appeared on the screen, the edges distorted, but it was due to the encryption he had put in earlier to secure the call so no one could tap in or overhear their conversation.

“The code you put in also disables any type of recording devices in the room you're in Lelouch, so you don't have to worry,” his brother said, “one of the perks of being able to approve plans and technology installation in any Shatterdome.”

“How thoughtful,” Lelouch crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned against the table, staring at his brother. “Seriously Schneizel, _I_ don't want to talk about it.”

“You don't even know-”

“Stop bullshitting me. You said _you_ wanted to talk. So.” Lelouch gestured impatiently with one hand before folding it back under his arm. “Talk.”

Schneizel's expression was impassive, but he did nod his head slightly. “All right then. You should consider making your partner a Knight, Lelouch.”

“That would require me returning to the royal family,” he stated flatly.

“And making an appearance before the Emperor.”

Lelouch twitched at Schneizel's use of the title instead of their shared familial bond for the man that they shared half of their DNA with. Schneizel's casual mention of the Emperor instead of 'their father' told him that his older half-brother was sincere in the manner in which he was presenting his argument for Suzaku's Knighthood. While it was touching on some level, he also still bristled at the mere fact that it was Knighthood and an appearance to grovel and make amends in front of the Emperor after all these years.

“I'm not groveling before that man,” he shook his head.

“You don't have to grovel. You merely have to pay respects-”

“No,” Lelouch continued to shake his head. “Not before him. Not after everything. Schneizel, he let my _mother_ die! He didn't even deign to investigate her assassination attempt either! He could have ordered her-”

“My investigations indicated that Marianne went willingly into battle-”

“She was an Empress-Consort, Schneizel! He _knew_ what her condition was and still let her-”

“An argument could be made that she was the former Knight of One-”

“I'm not apologizing, groveling, or paying my fucking respects to that man!” Lelouch shouted anger filling him. “That is fucking final!” He took a deep breath, staring at his older half-brother. “He didn't care about us, Schneizel. Not Nunnally when she was suffering from kaiju blue, and not even before then. I'm not going back to being a royal just so I can be manipulated in his schemes and used as a pawn to advance whatever agenda he has. I'm done being used by others, I'm done being used by _him_.

“And I'm certainly not going to do it to expose Ranger Kururugi to the court's machinations and schemes. Knighthood isn't something to be taken lightly, you know that for a fact since you don't even have one, _brother_.”

Schneizel's lips twitched into a grimace and Lelouch knew he had his older brother on that count. It was acknowledge with a dip of a head of blond-hair.

“It may be the easiest solution, Lelouch, to protect your reputation-”

“ _My_ reputation?!”

“Forgive me,” Schneizel stopped, clearing his throat lightly. “I am only trying to look out for you, Lelouch. Knighthood is the easiest route. You know that, I know that.”

“I'm not going back into the den of vipers.”

“Yet you so willingly associate with us-”

“I honestly hope it's because by blood, but if you're-”

“Not what I'm suggesting, but you do some times make this very difficult, my dear brother,” Schenizel's words stung, but there was affection and exasperation in his tone.

Lelouch snorted and looked away. He worked his jaw for a second as he crossed his arms across his chest again. Looking back up he stared at his brother's light purple eyes. “I'm not going back and that's final. Knighthood or not. At that point, it's not about Ranger Kururugi. I...don't want to go back...”

Schneizel was quiet for a few seconds before he sighed. “Can I ask why? Is it us?”

Lelouch grimaced and looked away. “Not you in particular. Nor Euphie, Cornelia, or even Marrybell for that matter. Just...I think because I lived outside of all of it for all these years, it's...more freeing...I guess. Not really the word I'd use, but it feels good to not have to watch my back wondering if say one of our siblings or the other consorts is going to stab us in the back or whether or not we'll be used as political hostages or discarded when we're not useful. There's no need to prove myself.”

His brother laughed quietly. “That's a lie. You're proving yourself even in the PPDC.”

“Whatever, you know what I mean.”

“You could have had all of it even in the confines of the royal family and titles, Lelouch. A Knight would have been assigned or even picked by you to protect you when you came of age, even before then when circumstances-”

“The Emperor didn't assign any after my mother was nearly killed. After we were kidnapped and held _hostage_ ,” Lelouch shot him a dark look. His initial melancholy and quietude was replaced by swift anger. It was not exactly a lie, but neither was it the truth. The former Knight of Two had been assigned to guard them until his untimely death at the hands of Trespasser. It wasn't a personal knight, but Lelouch thought it was the bare minimum for the man who claimed to favor his mother above all of the other wives.

He slashed at the air with his hand. “This isn't even about protection of Knighthood, Schneizel. Don't try to use that argument on me. I can take care of myself.”

His brother frowned, but Lelouch ignored the hurt he saw flash in the light purple eyes. He could already see Schneizel contemplating his next steps and waited with a grim line on his lips.

“If no Knighthood, you're going to just let the rumors stand?”

“Why not?” he shrugged.

The older man blinked, his expression neutral. “Lelouch-”

“Why not,” he stated flatly. “Are you honestly worried what the media will say about me? What they may infer and then extend to you, Euphie and the others? What they may think about Cornelia and Guilford? About how the royal family has always kept all of its members 'available' with no comment about their sexual preferences or even who they're supposedly having an affair with when necessary for political alliances? Is that why you're so worried to reach out and call?”

He saw something flicker in Schneizel's expression before he reached up and rubbed his eyebrow, an eerily similar manner like he was prone too before his older half-brother sighed. It sounded rather ragged and Lelouch blinked, genuinely surprised at the sheer amount of emotion that had been in that one single movement.

“Lelouch, contrary to popular belief, and your own beliefs, I'm asking now as a brother. As a family, as someone who honestly cares for you even though you don't seem to really care back-”

He bristled at the notion-

“-this isn't about a reputation or Knighthood. I'm genuinely wondering if you realize what may happen. What might happen with those rumors.” Schneizel looked away for a second, oddly vulnerable before looking back. “I...had no one when the rumors started with me. If I can at least help my own brother get through some of this...”

Lelouch swallowed heavily as he looked down. He felt like an ass. “...Sorry,” he muttered petulantly as he looked through his lashes at his brother.

Schneizel merely shook his head a little and blinked before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “If those headlines keep perpetuating, and they will, it's going to get ugly, Lelouch. They're going to want to dig into your life, interview everyone whom you've been in contact with. Marshal Kennedy is about to authorize leave for both teams soon, but I recommend that you take it in Hawai'i and settle your affairs there. That's where the media will more than likely hone in when, not if, _when_ they find out you've been living there since you've left the Court.”

“When?”

“When, Lelouch. They will be relentless,” Schneizel shook his head. “And because of the aforementioned Court, you are in a more vulnerable position to have secrets leaked about you. Myself, Cornelia, Euphie, we can try to mitigate a lot of it, but-”

“I get it,” Lelouch interrupted. It was the unspoken mention of the siblings that didn't like him, that resented and were jealous of him – Carine, Guinevere and others.

“About Nunnally-”

Lelouch's brow wrinkled. “They wouldn't...”

“We hope not, but...”

He cursed silently. While he had officially spread the rumor that Nunnally was dead, if the media swarmed Oahu, the chances that they would quickly discover that she was definitely not dead and then would end up becoming a pawn in the Court's schemes. He would definitely have to take this leave in Hawai'i and make additional preparations with Sayoko. Maybe he would have to ask Milly for a big favor, housing Nunnally at Ashford would at least get her away from the direct line of fire from the Britannian media. It also allowed his sister to get a proper education too instead of having to rely on digital classes.

“Lelouch, your life, every action will be scrutinized. They will try to label you and even if you ignore it, those labels will follow you. People's perceptions will be guided by how the media ends up upending your life. They'll want salacious details. Some of it we can manage, especially the ones that will inevitably pop up regarding affairs and that nature.”

Schneizel's frown suddenly became a little pronounced. “You...don't have-”

Lelouch rolled his eyes and lifted an eyebrow at the half-formed question.

His brother snorted quietly. “I had to ask.” He cleared his throat. “My luck, when it happened to me, was by virtue of Odysseus being the Crown Prince, so I was in essence, the spare. Also, a bit of luck on Guinevere's part for that particular scandal that basically drew all of the attention away from me, but the media has changed since those days. People are more invasive now, they live in a world of superficiality, where they demand that public figures and popular ones live to their standards. They will make up things to fit those standards and they will be vicious about it if you don't conform.”

He blinked once. “It just so happens you became popular in that time.”

“Wrong place, wrong time?”

“Happens to us all,” his brother said with some fondness. “And while the PPDC does genuinely appreciate your efforts and you and Ranger Kururugi's success in both countries media tours-”

“-It's now coming to bite us in the ass,” Lelouch finished for him.

“I wouldn't look at it like that. It just so happens that you two are young and popular. People want to know. It's human nature. We've already put out all we can about Drift compatibility, pilot pairs and even created the Ranger Protocols so that things like this can be weathered. That's all you have to do now. Weather it and hope that whatever next news cycle happens will make this go away.”

Schneizel looked off screen for a moment before looking back. “I need-”

“-To go,” Lelouch could see that he had kept his brother long enough. He nodded. “Can you...do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“I don't want a Knight. Let them know.”

“Lelouch, I don't think-”

“I don't want to be getting phone calls from Cornelia, Guilford, Clovis, Marrybell, or even the siblings I don't like about Knighthood. I'm not a royal. I'm not 'The Exiled Prince' or whatever the shit they're calling me these days. I'm a Ranger.”

His brother sighed again and nodded. “All right. But fair warning-”

“Yeah, I know,” he waved away the warning.

Schneizel merely looked at him before leaning forward to disconnect the call. However, just before he pressed the button he looked back at Lelouch. “Are you happy? With him?”

Lelouch snorted. “Are you happy? With Kanon?”

His brother laughed quietly before disconnecting the call. Lelouch stared at the blank screen for a moment, contemplating and turning over what his older half-brother had said. It would get ugly, he knew that. But to actually hear it from Schneizel...it felt like something else. There was a storm gathering on the horizon and Lelouch knew that he and Suzaku would have to weather it the best they could. How long it would last, no one would know, but he hoped that perhaps if another kaiju attacked and they proved themselves, whatever rumors started would die swiftly. The war was the most important part. They were merely soldiers in it.

* * *

“You're plotting something,” Suzaku stated.

Lelouch didn't bother looking at his partner as he studied the maps and data before him. He merely nodded once as he made a note in his PDA. He, Suzaku and Euphie were sitting near each other, a rare free time where none of them had much to do nor meetings to attend.

Surprisingly, the drills and simulations had been halved, if not scaled back to where they just had perhaps one or two during the week. The twins explained that it was partially for the crews to review what they've done during deployment, but also to prepare for the upcoming Shatterdome re-assignments that were going to happen once the 2016-B class graduated. Once everyone got their new assignments and location and moved, the simulations and training would start again, but for the veterans now – in which Gipsy Danger's team now fell into – they would not have to push themselves as hard since they knew what the real thing was like. They would transition to mentors for the new graduates.

True to Schneizel's word, Marshal Kennedy announced upcoming leave for both teams, ostensibly to spend the December holidays with family and friends. There would be technical crews staying behind to repair Gipsy, but most of them would be able to take the week off – which included Christmas to the Britannians' delight – and return two days before the Class of 2016-B was set to officially graduate.

Lelouch immediately booked his ticket to Hawai'i, offering the opportunity to Suzaku again, but his friend declined saying he was going to stay on-base and help with the repairs. It turned out during the last leave they were on, Suzaku had discovered an affinity to tinkering and repairing mechanical parts and Euphie had regaled him with the hilarious tales of Suzaku crawling around the conn-pod without a care in the world, getting grease in his hair and genuinely enjoying himself fixing and improving Gipsy.

If Suzaku was happy with his leave fixing Gipsy, then Lelouch would leave him alone. He needed to turn his focus now to ensuring Nunnally would not get caught in the crossfire of the upcoming media shitstorm.

“Seriously, Lelouch, you're plotting something,” Suzaku said and he felt a nudge to his ribs.

He glanced over to see his friend staring at him with a slightly narrowed gaze.

“I'm always plotting?” He shrugged as if it was a genuine question.

Euphie laughed as she looked over the rim of a novel she was reading. It was an actual book, not one of the e-books that were more commonplace now. The cover of the book was a simple yellow cover with a bow and arrow. It wasn't much to go on, but considering Euphie had gone through at least a quarter of the pages since he had last looked up, he supposed whatever she was reading was quite engrossing.

Suzaku himself had also opted for a novel to read, though he was using his PDA and the novel was in Japanese. Lelouch had been curious until his friend stated that it was a translation of a popular science-fiction series from the E.U. about the Roman Empire in space. He offered to lend him a different series by the same author on robots and artificial intelligence. Lelouch accepted it, but didn't know when he would start to read it – maybe later tonight after they settled into bed or on the long flight to Honolulu.

But for now, he settled into what was his favorite pastime, studying the latest data collected on the kaiju and the oceanic maps. Though he knew it would have been considered 'work' in the sense that Suzaku and Euphie were using their downtime for more leisurely pursuits, he honestly found it enjoyable to pick apart and speculate, writing down new theories; refining them with what he knew versus what he could figure out. His next steps once he refined a theory he liked was probably to present it to Marshal Kennedy, but he wanted the Gages' opinion first before he proceeded.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Suzaku gearing up to pester him again before a rather boisterous voice echoed loudly in the mess hall where they had settled themselves for the afternoon.

“Wow, you guys have got the view!”

They looked up to see the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, walking in with the Knights of Two trailing him, rolling their eyes at his exclamation. The blond-haired man jogged towards the wide windows that was part of the mess hall and press his face against it.

Lelouch honestly did not know what was so great about the panoramic view of just ocean and perpetual night sky that Alaska had in the winter months. A small squall of snow was already blowing outside, obscuring the usual starry night sky and it was cold. He had bundled up two layers, one of a thin thermal layer, the other the familiar PT clothes while he had been sitting with Suzaku and Euphie – the wide windows meant that the mess hall was a few degrees cooler than the actual hallways of the Shatterdome – and they were cold already.

He was looking forward to going back to Hawai'i not only to see Nunnally, but at least some semblance of warmth. In his opinion, Alaska sucked for about three quarters of the year when it was not freezing. His only saving grace was that Suzaku was a great source of warmth when his own pajamas and the blankets thrown over himself wasn't enough to keep the cold away. The added benefit of cuddling with his best friend was just icing on the cake.

“Gino! You're here early!” Euphie however, looked surprised and he turned to see his half-sister with a smile on her face.

“My favorite Princess!” Gino's grin was a brilliant flash of perfect white teeth as he bounded over. He knelt down on one knee, taking Euphie's hand and kissing it gently.

Lelouch felt rather flat-footed as he watched Gino release Euphie's hand before standing up and sweeping a low bow towards her. As much as a part of him was highly suspicious of the Knight of Three's intentions and sudden appearance, Gino had followed most of the correct protocols of greeting a female member of the royal family.

“Gino, stop bowing,” Euphie motioned for him to stand up and the Knight of Three did so with a grin. It was also then that Lelouch noticed the fellow Jaeger pilot was wearing the uniform of a Knights of the Round. The only thing missing was the colored cape that denoted his family's colors and the Emperor's crest.

“Now that protocol's been established,” Bruce Gage stepped forward, clapping the younger man on the shoulder and turning him slightly. “Lord Weinberg, the two pilots of Gipsy Danger, Rangers Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi. Gipsy, the more friendlier half of Lucky Seven, the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg.”

“Hi!” The Knight stuck his hand out. Lelouch stared at it for a second, slightly confused, before he felt Suzaku reach over him to shake Gino's hand and release it. Lelouch followed suit, feeling rather odd about it until he saw Gino's grin turn sheepish.

“Yeah, I'm even confused too. I feel like I should be bowing to you too, but hey...civilian now?”

Lelouch shrugged. “What brings the Knight of Three from Sydney all the way up here?”

Gino gestured towards Euphie. “Her escort back home to Pendragon. Second Princess insisted. It wasn't going to delay my assignment so I agreed. Also, asked Twos here to meet the two of you. Wanted to apologize for stealing your kill.”

“What?” Suzaku looked confused.

“Ragnarok?” Gino laughed weakly as he rubbed the back of his head. “Technically we did steal your kill by dive bombing the kaiju...”

Lelouch frowned. “Er...thanks?” He wasn't sure how he felt about that admission. He was honestly not too bothered by the fact that they technically didn't get the kill. A dead kaiju was a dead kaiju.

“It honestly wasn't anything,” Suzaku spoke up behind him and Lelouch moved a little to let his friend sit forward. “Dead kaiju. That's all that matters.”

Gino chuckled before looking at the Gages. “You're right. Not even a single competitive bone about kaiju.”

The twins grinned before Trevin gestured with his chin towards the maps Lelouch had spread out. “That's the competition there, Weinberg. That's where the ego is.”

“Ocean maps?”

“And kaiju data,” Lelouch added, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips. He could see that the Knight of Three had no inclination for strategy as he stared at the maps. He was about to add some more when he spotted Milly walking by the entrance to the mess hall with what looked like a duffel bag and overcoat. She was leaving already and realized he had yet to talk to her about Nunnally's situation. “Uh, excuse me for a second,” he made a short hand signal to Suzaku that it was nothing big as he got up and headed towards her, hoping to catch Milly before she left.

“Milly!” he called out as he jogged towards her.

“Hey Lelouch,” Milly called back as he caught up. “Whoa, is that the Knight of Three?”

Lelouch glanced back to see Gino still puzzling over the maps before one of the twins stepped forward and a conversation start up between the twin, Gino and Suzaku. The other twin was talking with Euphie – he suspected it was probably Trevin.

“Yeah,” he shook his head, “Euphie's escort to Pendragon. Don't know why-”

“Uh, she's always had escorts when she left during the breaks, except for the last leave we got. She stayed on base to work on Gipsy.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, Cornelia and Guilford escorted her between Term 1 and 2 and she left with Knight of Six Anya Alstreim between Term 2 and 3. Seems reasonable that someone escort her.”

“I guess...” Lelouch didn't think much of it, too removed from the daily life of a royal to really puzzle over the lack of escorts. He took first-class flights back to Hawai'i, but that was about it – one of the rare luxuries he allowed himself during the Academy days, but easier now that he had a steadier source of income as well as the bonus pays that came with it. Ranger pay was very well compensated if not for the medical and waiver of liability in the name of experimental science.

“Wow, he's cute,” Milly eyed the pilot and Lelouch glanced back.

He supposed the Knight of Three wasn't bad looking. He had classical looks of blond-hair and blue eyes, aristocratic features seen on some of the east coast Homeland nobles, it made sense that Weinberg perhaps carried some First Noble blood in him. The First Nobles were families and lineages that could trace their history to when Britannia had first colonized what was now Homeland – before the royal family was forced to move – and were part of the loyal families that helped put down Washington's Rebellion. A lot of it had been watered down as the original thirteen colonies could all technically claim First Noble blood, but a lot of the noble houses on the east coast could claim at least some ancestry from it. The Britannian royal family made the ultimate First Noble blood claim, and trumped it with Royal Blood.

Milly sighed dreamily once more before turning back. “You wanted to chat?”

“Yeah,” Lelouch looked around before gesturing for her to follow him further down the hall and away from the mess hall. He didn't have the bug diffuser with him, so he knew he needed to be careful with his words.

“Lelouch?”

He found a small area where the hum of some vending machines would at least provide some cover if they were overheard. At least that was his hope. “How is Ashford Academy?”

Milly blinked for a second before tilting her head to the side. “Grandfather is fine. The Academy got some funding from both the Japanese and Britannian governments to expand its campus and we've hired some new teachers to help facilitate some cross culture snafus that were guaranteed to come up once we started to tentatively accept Japanese students. Britannian board is still a little leery about that, but they're not complaining about the influx of money.”

“Has construction been completed?”

“Close. A few buildings still need to be finished, but the bunkers are all completed though. We're able to house all students there now if another kaiju attack so that's a weight off of the embassy.”

“Has enrollment for the spring semester closed?”

“Yes...” Milly started before her brow wrinkled for a second and her eyes widened. “Oh...”

Lelouch stared at her, watching her carefully as she apparently realized what he was obliquely saying.

“Oh...” her expression softened as she smiled at him. “...I'm glad that it-”

He shook his head silently and she stopped.

He knew that rumors of Nunnally's demise must have made their way towards her judging by the saddened looks she had given him for a few days. He had not really made much about it, noting that she had gone back to her usual cheerful self a few days later. However, what had puzzled him was why had the Ashfords not recalled Sayoko when it should have been obvious, but he wasn't going to press the issue. Perhaps the Ashfords thought that Sayoko would have been taking care of the house for him all this time.

“I'm sure Grandfather would love make sure everyone's enrolled,” she smiled slightly. “Maybe the next time we have leave, you could come to the campus too. There are a few rooms available for privacy if you want to stay a few nights. We would be honored.”

It wasn't the most elegant of code words that she could come up with, but Lelouch appreciated the effort nonetheless. “I'll consider it. Thank you for your efforts.”

“I'll send Sayoko our best once you come back, all right?” She would wait on him to prepare Nunnally and let her know when things would be in motion. For her part, she would be preparing a place for his sister at Ashford along with falsified documents giving Nunnally a new identity to keep her safe.

He nodded before she suddenly reached out and grasped his hand, squeezing it once. “It's not fair, Lulu, what's going to happen. What's happening now. It's not fair, you know that, right?”

Lelouch sucked in a breath, realizing that she was far more insightful than he gave her credit for. He knew she was referencing the growing rumors. Not so insidious yet as Schneizel had predicted, but two weeks after Ragnarok, there were more than one news outlet parading the speculative headline around.

“They shouldn't do this to you. Not after-”

“It's not just me, Milly,” he turned his wrist a little to loosen her grip slightly and watched as she absently rubbed his thumb.

“I know it's not just you, but...I know you Lulu,” she said quietly before she let his hand go. She sighed. “I'll do everything I can to help. You know that, right?”

“I know, and...thank you Milly,” he said before he stepped away. “I'm sorry to have kept you.”

“Don't worry. You be safe now in Hawai'i, all right? Have a good Christmas and I'll see you soon,” she stepped around him before waving her goodbye as she headed down the hallway.

Lelouch watched her turn a corner before heading back to the mess hall. At least he knew Nunnally had a safe haven in Ashford. It wasn't the most elegant, but it would have to do for now until he could ensure her security and safety there – and her anonymity. He supposed he could keep the house in Hawai'i – it was a nice piece of real estate and a good haven to retreat to so no one else would get suspicious in the long run, dividing his leave time between Japan and Hawai'i. Visiting Japan would also be easier on Suzaku for his travel restrictions and he knew as much as his partner didn't mind not seeing his homeland for however long the war went on, it would still be able to soothe some part of him that always yearned for home.

But first, Nunnally. Everything else came second.


	15. Knight Arc - Part VII

“Do you really want Knighthood for Suzaku?”

Lelouch swirled the stem of the glass of wine he had in his hand. He rarely drank, not keen on alcohol as it usually impaired his ability to think coherently, but this particular wine had been opened in celebration for Christmas – per their mother's tradition. Sayoko had found a beautiful and expensive vintage that was from a vineyard near Aires Villa before it was destroyed.

“No,” he replied as he took a sip. “It would destroy him.”

“Dramatic, but I can see why,” Nunnally stated as she looked at him with her sightless eyes.

“Why then,” he humored her. Their dinner feast had been quite celebratory, but now with almost everything done, it had turned to more serious matters; namely the impending move. Nunnally had agreed even though she was saddened that she would be leaving Hawai'i for an indefinite time. He had reassured her she would be able to come back once the furor died down – maybe in a few months or whenever the next kaiju attacked.

“You love him too much to have him subordinated to you, brother,” she said and he smiled slightly, a bitter one, but she was right. “Plus, you don't like the inherent inequality that comes with Knighthood. Suzaku's your friend, your other half of the brain if you want to look at it. Subordinating half of your brain isn't the best thing to do when fighting kaiju.”

Lelouch chuckled as he took another sip. “Nunnally, that's the best excuse I've heard.”

She giggled. He stared at her fondly. She had turned fourteen back in October and it seemed she was already growing taller since he had last seen her. There was a stately regal aura about her, even sitting in her wheelchair. He wondered... “I didn't really give you a choice when we left, did I?”

“Lelouch-”

“You were injured, in no condition to give you consent to exile and leaving the royal family- Hear me out Nunnally-” He held up hand to forestall her protest even though he knew she could not see it. She frowned, her normally upturned lips a beautiful pout. “Do you want to go back? We can...Schneizel's offered it...”

“...And have Suzaku as my Knight?” She asked quietly. “Keeping the equal balance that you want? Your sister's Knight serving along side her brother?”

“Not as equal as I like, but maybe protected in that sense...” Lelouch replied.

Nunnally sighed, her pink tongue darting out in thought – which incidentally made her look eerily like their mother as she had that habit – before she bit her lower lip for a few seconds. “He would be a good Knight. I liked him. I like that he makes you happy. And I am flattered you'd think of someone like him to protect me. But this is a two-fold question, is it not?”

He stared at her, setting his glass down. When had she sounded far more mature for her age than he realized? It hurt, to see her growing up without him nearby. But he buried that part quickly. They both had agreed and she had given her blessing to join the war efforts against the kaiju. It stood to reason that she would marshal her own inner strength and come out stronger.

“I would love to have him as my Knight,” she said. “But, not at the expense of returning to the family.”

He raised an eyebrow, surprised.

The corner of her lips quirked up in a small smile. “You won't return, no matter what, am I correct?”

“Well...circumstances-”

“Lelouch, not for me. Really, would you honestly return even if I wasn't part of the equation?”

“Nunnally-”

“Brother, I'm serious.”

Lelouch sighed. “No...maybe? I don't know...probably not...”

“Right,” Nunnally continued. “So in my case, I honestly don't want to return. I'm a liability at this point. Crippled-”

“Nunnally-”

“Lelouch, stop interrupting.”

Lelouch blinked, surprised before he blushed. “I'm sorry...”

She laughed lightly before sobering. “I'm crippled. I _need_ a Knight if I were to return. There's no doubt about it. I can't defend myself. I also would be, at best, a political match that will go nowhere. Just an insurance for some rich family. I don't even know if I can have children-”

“It's not about kids-”

“Lelouch, it's all about children in the family,” Nunnally cut him off gently. “Just because you think it contrary, don't forget, I am a vi Britannia. A female one too. Our mother was expected to have children. She had us. I am expected to have children.”

Lelouch wanted to ask if his sister really wanted children, but held his tongue. It was not his place to dictate such circumstances. She was only thirteen though he was well aware that she was already starting to blossom into womanhood.

“At best, I am a hostage, Lelouch. Even if you didn't return and I did, I'd be a hostage to any of the enterprising Court members. While I think I've learned a lot about the Court through mother's teachings and some of your own sharp and silver tongue – which brother your interviews do you credit – I know I'm not the best at it. I can't easily read people anymore. So tell, me, if Suzaku was my Knight, do you think we'd be happy back there?”

“Schneizel, Cornelia, the others, they'd protect you,” he muttered half-heartedly.

“They would...but only so much,” Nunnally conceded. “And they can't be there for me all the time. Neither can Suzaku if he was to pilot Gipsy with you.” She fell silent for a few seconds before she lifted her head again. “Did you ask him what he thought about Knighthood?”

“...Yes,” Lelouch half lied. He knew Suzaku's stance on Knighthood. Hell, Suzaku himself already pledged himself to be _his_ Knight – however, unofficial it was. It was part of the reason why he _didn't_ want it to be public. However much he loved that his partner wanted to be his Knight, understood all that it entailed, he didn't want an official Knighthood to change their partnership, to change everything. That was what he saw about Knighthood.

Nunnally sighed quietly. “...Oh Lelouch...”

“What...”

She smiled sadly. “You should talk with him. Again.”

He realized that she had seen right through his half lie. It baffled him. “H-How...?”

“I know you, brother,” Nunnally shook her head, her long light brown tresses shifting across her shoulders. “However, unofficial it was, he's already seeing himself as your Knight – even if you see him differently. He's a lot more insightful than you think he is, brother. Talk with him. You probably think you're on the same page, but he probably thinks differently just to appease you.”

“Appease...me?”

His sister merely shrugged and Lelouch blinked, sitting back at her unspoken assessment. It was not the first time someone had basically told him he was rather arrogant and blind to certain things even though he observed and saw so much. He supposed maybe this was one of those times. The saying that love made people blind was perhaps true in this sense.

He sighed. “You sell yourself short, Nunnally. You're more observant than you give yourself credit,” he smiled at her fondly.

Her smile became a little impish and she shrugged her shoulders. “I have a good teacher.”

“Remind me to give Sayoko a pay raise,” he chuckled.

“That won't be necessary, _Lelouch-sama,_ ” Sayoko said quietly from the entrance to the dining room. He turned to see her bowing towards them. “I am always happy to be of service to you and your sister. Preparations have been made and the house will be secured once we leave. I've also added a few additional defenses which I will send to you to prevent anyone from entering once we leave. _Ashford-san_ has also consented to _Nunnally-sama's_ entrance to the Academy and living among the grounds under a special dispensation.”

Lelouch nodded. “Thank you, for doing all of this on short notice. I know it's not ideal-”

“It would be nice to live elsewhere for a few years, Lelouch. Not that I didn't mind living in Hawai'i, but Japan is supposed to be beautiful. Also, gives _Sayoko-san_ a chance to visit friends and family a lot more.”

“ _Nunnally-sama_ , you humble me with your generosity,” Sayoko bowed slightly towards Nunnally.

Lelouch gestured towards Sayoko. “Come on, join us. It's not fair that you've been doing all of the work and not able to join in Christmastime festivities.”

Sayoko nodded once before stepping in. He reached over to pour her a glass of the wine that they had opened. She took the stem – in a very Britannian manner he saw, Nunnally's teachings – and he lifted his own, waiting for his sister to grab her own glass, having sensed what he was doing.

“To new beginnings,” he toasted and it was echoed by his sister and Sayoko.

* * *

“Have I told you how much I hate these things,” Suzaku muttered next to him as he attempted to adjust his collar.

“Stop fiddling with it,” Lelouch said through his teeth as they stood in the war room with the Gages and Marshal Kennedy, all five in their dress blues.

It was officially graduation day for the Class of 2016-B and they were part of the time-honored tradition of welcoming the newest Rangers to the Corp. Set bright and early at 0900 local, all active Rangers were required to be in their dress blues instead of the grey uniforms. The newest Rangers had not been formally issued their dress blues and so opted for the more casual grey ones. However, Lelouch could see that the pilot pairs were preening in them.

The only four Rangers that were unable to join were Dr. Lightcap, whomever was the other half of Lucky Seven, and the Jessops. The latter two were still in comas with a new experimental therapy that Lightcap, Nina and Kallen were trying to bring them out from the neural overload. Since their condition were too delicate to move to Hawai'i like Tohdoh and Nagisa, Lightcap had spent the last few weeks in Japan with her two assistants. No reason was given why the other half of Lucky Seven wasn't in this particular conference, but then again, the mysterious other half was also not part of their graduating class' video conference.

While the news didn't cast much of a pall on the proceedings, Lelouch and Suzaku felt the Jessops' absence keenly, having gotten to known both Rangers in the short time during their media tour. He shifted his focus back to the screens, noting that the seven graduating pilot pairs – down from the nine in the initial start of Term 3 – looked a little crowded in the Academy's conference room.

“I hate this thing,” Suzaku muttered back as he lowered his hand and tried not to fidget.

“All right, about to bring the big boss online,” Sergio D'Onofrio's voice boomed across the video feed. His head peered into the camera. “Everyone put their drinks away?”

There was a twitter of laughter and Lelouch could see the Knight of Three, sitting in Pendragon next to Cornelia and Guilford, throw his hands up.

“It was just that one time Sergio!” Gino squawked much to the exasperated snort of contempt from the Second Princess. Guilford merely shook his head and put a palm to his face.

“I got mine here!” Bruce spoke up holding up a champagne bottle. “It's for New Years tonight...I swear!”

The laughter grew as both the new Ranger pairs and veterans felt a little more at ease. Lelouch noticed Trevin giving his brother a little bit of a side-eye.

“New Years celebrations aside,” Sergio's booming voice was fond, “all right, here we go!”

Schenizel's face appeared – this time without the Board – and all Rangers straightened at his appearance. Lelouch could see the slight movement behind him and recognized the rose-colored tresses of Kanon flitting in and out of the camera shot.

“Good to see everyone,” the Second Prince addressed the assembled group. “On behalf of the Board of Governors, we are proud to welcome our latest graduating class to the Ranger Corps. We hope that you will serve with honor, distinction and do your countries proud in this war we are fighting.”

He cleared his throat lightly, looking down for a second before looking up. “Rangers Yancy and Raleigh Becket.”

“Sir,” two Rangers, both of them with boyish-looking features – one clearly older than the younger one – stepped forward. They had scored the highest in the initial simulation tests and garnered a lot of high praise from both their colleagues and fellow pilots for fostering a very companionable atmosphere through all three terms. Yancy was already making a name for himself as The Peacekeeper while Raleigh was The Negotiator.

“With Japan, Marshal Tohdoh and Ranger Chiba's blessing, you will be assigned to Mark I Jaeger Coyote Tango and to the Tokyo Shatterdome. Congratulations, Rangers.”

For a second, dead silence and shock filled the comms. Lelouch immediately found the video feed that showed Marshal Tohdoh, Nagisa and the pilot pair of Cherno Alpha standing in their Shatterdome's war room. Tohdoh and Nagisa both had proud stoic looks. He could feel Suzaku's elation and surprise followed by a feeling of bittersweet hope. This was the future before all of them and it deserved a congratulations of their own making. He didn't have to know that Suzaku was mirroring his own movements as they raised their hands and clapped; joined in half a second later with the Gages and then by Marshal Kennedy.

The others in the video feeds took it as their cues to also clap at the unexpected and welcomed posting. The atmosphere in the Academy's conference room was less reserved. Both Beckets got slaps and cheers on the back from their fellow Rangers as they took in the surprise posting. Two Britannians, assigned to a _Japanese-_ made Jaeger and posted to Japan's Shatterdome.

“Thank you sir, err, Your Highness,” Yancy managed to get out, clearly reeling in shock, “it's...it's an honor.” His eyes shifted before he grabbed his brother by his sleeve and the two bowed – a little awkwardly – towards what was probably the video feed of Nagisa and Tohdoh. “ _Thank you for the opportunity_ ,” the Japanese was heavily accented and a bit mangled, but it was, nonetheless, recognizable.

“It is our pleasure, Rangers,” Tohdoh nodded once. “We are proud for you and your brother to inherit Coyote. She will be a formidable Jaeger once more and we look forward to seeing her in combat again.”

The two brothers nodded as they stepped back into the crowd of new pilots, still clapping and slapping them on their backs. However, the noise died down as Schneizel held up his hand to try to continue with the proceedings.

“I'm sure the Japanese media will wish to interview them once they get settled,” Schneizel said and Tohdoh nodded.

“I will see to the arrangements,” Tohdoh replied.

“Next up, we have Rangers Kennedy LaRue and Stephanie Lanphier,” Schneizel said and Lelouch started slightly. The order of the names meant that LaRue – the European United Ranger was the dominant one. Lanphier, the Britannian, was the left hemisphere. That was an interesting switch from what he had studied weeks ago about the two.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suzaku also look a little surprised. Dominance in the hemisphere was decided before going into full simulations so something must have changed in the interim.

“Though I must add, not as dramatic as the Beckets here,” Schneizel's grin reached his eyes, “You will be assigned the newest of the Mark IV the ASEEC has been developing, Hydra Corinthian.”

Lelouch had not even realized that ASEEC was developing Mark IV Jaegers. He saw Trevin lean towards them. “It's very experimental.” Lelouch nodded slightly. That was shorthand for that they were more than likely working on the blueprints and loading it with some kind of weaponry and fighting style that the PPDC had a specific need for the Ranger pair to do.

“Sorry to say though, you may not receive your Jaeger until late next year, but we will be assigning you to the Anchorage Shatterdome in the interim,” Schneizel continued. “However, because you are also a unique pilot pair, the Board has approved a media tour similar to the ones undertaken by Gipsy Danger's pilots. We hope this will promote unity among Britannia and European United.”

Everyone clapped at the news and Lelouch saw Trevin lean towards them again. “We'll get you and Suzaku up to speed on what to expect with the Hydra Corinthian team.” He glanced at the twins and realized the knew about this particular assignment and the fact that Bruce and Trevin were bringing them on board made him realize that he and Suzaku were going to be _mentors_. And it was also not accidental.

As he saw the two women accept their assignment with grace and precision of their salutes, he could instantly tell in the subtle body language now that the two were more than likely in the same position as he and Suzaku – a partnership that evolved into a relationship. It was oddly easy to see it now, and perhaps it was because the two of them had Drifted enough, but also got the coaching and mentoring they had from the Gages. It would be up to him and Suzaku to make sure this particular pilot pair came out intact and ready to face the future after their media tour.

The applause died soon after and Schneizel continued. Five other Jaegers were assigned: two Chinese officers, a brother and sister pair, Li Xingke and Zhou Xianglin to China's Mark IV experiment, Crimson Typhoon and the Hong Kong Shatterdome. A pair of Honorary Britannians were assigned the Mark III Jaeger, Matador Fury and to Pendragon; a pair from Manila assigned to the Chinese Mark I Jaeger Horizon Brave to be stationed in Sydney; and a Australian and Chinese pair assigned to Vulcan Specter also assigned to Sydney. Last, but not least, a Britannian pair of old, but non-military nobility, assigned to Mark III Jaeger Mammoth Apostle and to Pendragon.

Because the other Shatterdomes were not completed yet, Lelouch knew that there would be additional assignments come next year once most of the Shatterdomes were complete. However, he was puzzled as to why Lima was not mentioned when it was at least half completed, or last he saw in the memo updates for the building of future Shatterdomes.

Class of 2016-B was truly the first civilian-majority class as the final round of applause was heard for the newest graduates of the Academy. When it died, all of the personnel, Marshals included, saluted each other and Schneizel before the video conference was closed.

Not even a half second later, Suzaku popped the collar to his uniform open and made a face. “Ugh, finally,” he groused before he froze as Marshal Kennedy gave them a look. “Sorry, Marshal...”

She merely shook her head and even did the same to her own collar as she left the room. Lelouch barely held back the laugh that threatened to erupt from him as Suzaku goggled in surprise.

“I knew it...” Bruce elbowed his twin in the ribs, “pay up!”

“Ugh fine,” Trevin reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and handed a ten dollar bill over.

Lelouch merely shook his head at them before he headed out, followed by Suzaku as the two of them headed back to their room to change into far more comfortable clothing before their next meeting. A base party was being held later in the evening to ring in the New Year – a rarity of alcohol allowed by Marshal Kennedy in a magnanimous gesture. She even suspended the demerits if someone was caught drinking, but there had been a memo warning about any type of harassment or coercion similar to the code of conduct among PPDC personnel if it happened while everyone was celebrating the start of the new year.

In the far more comfortable clothing of the casual uniforms of the PPDC, which included their first ever multi-colored bar that indicated meritorious service – referencing Ragnarok's defeat – they headed to the conference room that the Gages had booked. Lelouch had originally wondered why, thinking that it was more for discussion of Shatterdome assignments than anything else, but with Hydra Corinthian's posting to Anchorage, it made far more sense.

“Hey Euphie, Amanda,” Suzaku greeted as they entered. The two J-Tech Chiefs looked up from their PDAs and nodded at them.

“How was the ceremony?”

“Itchy,” Suzaku complained, “I hate dress blues.”

Amanda laughed. “Trust me, you're not the only one. I swear, it's gotta be something in the material or the way they cut it.”

“Marshal Kennedy doesn't like it either,” Suzaku shrugged with a grin as he sat down next to Euphie. Lelouch sat down on his partner's other side as they waited for the Gages.

“It seems fine to me,” Euphie shrugged.

“Does Cornelia complain about it?”

“No,” Euphie shrugged.

“Maybe it's a royal thing?” Suzaku wondered. Lelouch glanced at him, shrugging. He didn't know either.

“Good theory. I mean, it's definitely made of the same materials, cut and style that we have to wear for formal ceremonial purposes in the Court.”

“Ugh,” Suzaku made a face. “I feel sorry for you royals.”

Euphie laughed lightly. “Could explain why Cornelia, Guilford and Margrave Gottwald don't seem to mind. I know Villetta has the same complaints. She was asking me about it while I was in Pendragon.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot to ask, how was it?” Amanda spoke up.

“Good. Thankfully just one party this time, but then again, I think that was Cornelia being a little too enthusiastic about me during the Academy,” Euphie shook her head. “I managed to put forth my proposal to Schneizel about seeing if there was buy-in from my siblings about the rationing proposal. He says there are a few, but it's going to take some more support so he's working behind the scenes on that.”

“Nice work, even on your leave,” Amanda looked proud. “How's Lady Ophelia?”

“Mother's doing well, thank you for asking. She brought another corgi to keep her company. She's got like...twelve I think.”

Lelouch nearly choked as he glanced at his sister. The last he heard, Euphie's mother hated dogs. He frowned as his saw Euphie smile slightly.

“My mother apparently had some serious empty nest syndrome and brought some corgis to keep her company. Apparently she became a dog lover during my days in the Academy,” Euphie explained.

“I...can't picture it,” Lelouch shook his head.

“Here,” Euphie opened her phone and scrolled through it before she flipped the screen towards him. It was definitely an older-looking Lady Ophelia with at least three corgis near her. There were a couple more in the distance in the hills that made up Menra Villa. She was holding one quite securely in her arms too.

“That's...a lot of dogs,” Suzaku murmured. Lelouch nodded silently in agreement.

Euphie laughed before she took the phone back. “Anyways, twelve I think.” She turned back to Amanda. “But she did get in contact with your family-”

“Yes, wanted to thank you for that too. We got a good technology contract out of that, thanks for helping me out.” Amanda looked happy.

“Of course,” Euphie smiled. “At least the Malisse family weren't considered.”

Romeo Blue J-Tech Chief rolled her eyes. “Oh God, can you even imagine. Ian Malisse must be kicking himself now for all of the wrong he did his sister Igraine.”

Lelouch had no idea what they were talking about, but found it amusing to see his sister happily chatting away like back in the old days. A quick glance at Suzaku told him that he was somewhat following the conversation, but seemed more content in idly just staring at nothing in particular. He leaned over to his friend.

“Do you know who Igraine Malisse is?” he asked quietly.

“If I remember from what Euphie said...Bruce's former spotter,” Suzaku murmured back.

“Really?”

“I don't know what happened to her, but she's not on the team,” Suzaku replied. “Euphie didn't say, but she did tell me the O'Neills and Malisse are rival families with technology ties in computer systems and development of security software. Both families always had military contracts, no experience in the military, well until probably Amanda and Igraine.”

“Did she say who was their patron?”

“Pardon?”

“Most military contracts have royal patrons. Milly's family was heavily associated with my mother until...” he shrugged.

“Uh...no. I don't think so, maybe they were subcontractors?”

“Seems likely. Euphie's probably an indirect patron then. Having the ear of a li Britannia is pretty formidable. Cornelia's got her own patronages, but looks like Euphie's going to put that to work for the PPDC,” Lelouch was proud of his younger half-sister.

“So it's all just military?”

“No, Clovis has his artist patronages. He always liked the arts, painting, sculpting, that sort of thing.” As much as he disliked his more annoying older half-brother, the Third Prince of Britannia was a well-known patron of the arts and a lauded artist-in-residence at New York City, also known as a hub of flourishing artists of all kinds of stripes from musical theatre, to movies, to the stage and even museums. It was what powered a lot of the financial markets in New York.

“He doesn't sound that bad if you think about it-”

“He also likes to think he's really good at the intrigue and leadership part,” Lelouch gave a sardonic look at his partner. “Been trying to work his way through the Britannian military by being aides and advisers to some of the generals last I checked. Then takes some of the time that's supposed to be dedicated to actually helping to go fund his art stuff.”

Suzaku's mirth was evident in how he tried to suppress his smile. “Sounds like someone who wants to do everything and anything. Maybe like you?”

“Hey...” Lelouch shook his head at the teasing tone. “I only have one goal-”

“Kill kaiju, I know,” Suzaku rolled his eyes. “No need to beat a dead horse, er, kaiju.”

“We did that,” Lelouch pointed out.

“True. Next one...please,” his friend laughed lightly and Lelouch joined in. They fell into an amicable silence as they waited for the Gages, but even as Euphie and Amanda's conversation petered out, he saw both women looking at their PDAs and glanced at his own watch.

“Not like the twins to be late,” Amanda muttered before she picked up her phone and was about to dial it when the door to the conference room slid open.

Bruce peered in looking rather harried. “Hey, Amanda, get Raquel, Christoph, and Jon active. We just got sortied to deal with Area 6. Trev's handling activation of Bors and Lionel. We're expecting pick up in fifteen. Ten's asking for help and the Second Prince authorized it.”

“What? But I thought-”

Bruce shook his head, “Doesn't look like it was effective. Gotta go deal with it again. This time in force. They're even sending Three.”

“Shit,” Amanda straightened as she stood up and dialed her phone. She hurried past them, squeezing by Bruce as she nodded curtly at him.

“Uh-”

Bruce turned back and shook his head. “Sorry guys, we're going to have to reschedule when get back. We just got pulled to do an assignment.”

Lelouch blinked, opening his mouth to ask what was going on before Bruce left, the door sliding close. He frowned as he immediately got out of his seat and hurried over, palming the door open in time to see Bruce with his head bent towards Amanda as she lowered her phone. He was in for another surprise as he saw him kiss the J-Tech Chief gently on the lips before the two of them parted, going in opposite directions.

“Lelouch?” Suzaku spoke up from behind him and Lelouch turned back.

He was about to make a suggestion before he saw Euphie with a decidedly disappointed frown on her face. “Euphie? You know what's going on?”

“Gino told me about his assignment when he escorted me to Pendragon,” Euphie pinched her lips together. “He and the Knight of Ten were to be sent to deal with an apparent uprising in Area 6, South Britannia. Specifically near the Lima Shatterdome. I didn't hear much about it, but it seems that the Knights of Two were also sent to help.”

“The Emperor sent _four_ Knights of the Round?” Lelouch was shocked. One or two usually turned the tide of battle. Four was considered overkill.

“No one talked about it in Pendragon when I landed. It was very hush-hush, but Cornelia managed to overhear that Schneizel managed to get the three Knights authorized to go help the Knight of Ten because it was so close to the Shatterdome and managed to somehow swing it into a PPDC matter.”

“It explains why Lima wasn't even mentioned as a posting station in today's graduation ceremony,” Suzaku murmured. “If riots are happening-”

“Area 6 has been the most stable of all of the areas. This doesn't make sense...” Lelouch wracked his brain for what he knew about the Area. It was collectively known as South Britannia, but once, a long time ago, had been a series of colonies for countries before Napoleon had driven the royal family out of their original island nation. South Britannia was one of the first places – after Area 2 which was originally Canada, was conquered.

He felt woefully unequipped trying to figure out the why and immediately sat back down, flipping through his PDA for any news-

“You're not going to find any, Lelouch. I didn't when I tried. Cornelia only happened to know because she was asking to have Gino escort me back after leave was over,” Euphie said.

He stopped his frantic searching and looked at his sister. As much as he craved the knowledge, he also knew that he would not be privy to such secrets. It bothered him that four Knights of the Round had been sent to quell an alleged uprising in a stable area – that so happened to be near the Lima Shatterdome. He sighed and shook his head, pushing his PDA away. The only way he was going to find out more information was through Schneizel and as much as he liked talking with his older half-brother, he wasn't in the mood to trade favors – not after just ensuring Nunnally's safety in Japan. They would have to wait and maybe, just maybe, Lelouch could finally put to use the trust he had in the Gages to tell him what was happening.

* * *

The Gages returned four days after the start of the New Year, exhausted, but clearly glad to be back in the Shatterdome. Lelouch had received a text from Trevin to meet them in the conference room. As he entered, he was a little shocked at how _tired_ the two looked, sitting in the leather chairs.

“Did you guys just...”

“One hour ago,” Bruce covered a yawn with the back of his hand. “I just want to sleep like the dead...”

“I feel dead...on my feet,” Trevin muttered as he rubbed his eyes with his knuckles before leaning forward. He poked his brother hard in the shoulder, eliciting another yawn before Bruce nodded and waved an absent hand in the air. He laid his head on the crook of his elbow onto the table, using it like a pillow.

Lelouch shook his head as he stepped in. The door closed and Bruce gestured with a chin towards him.

“Lock it please,” the Knight of Two requested.

Lelouch reached behind him to click the lock into place and saw Trevin draw out the bug diffuser and activate it. He grimaced at the buzzing sensation as he took a seat across from the exhausted pilots.

“We're technically supposed to already be in bed asleep, so please don't go babbling about this to Amanda or Euphie. Amanda's probably going to kill us if she knows we're here and we don't want to involve Princess J-Tech in this.”

“Very sloppy and unlike you Knight of Two,” he directed his look towards Trevin who smiled tiredly.

“So says the man who doesn't want to be known as The Exiled Prince yet craves the knowledge that a Prince of Britannia is entitled to.” The other man shrugged. “Oaths at this point are a bit moot. Easily able to chalk it up to the persona we've been cultivating for the last couple of years.”

“Oaths are what drives Britannia.”

“Then lets call it investments in our future,” Trevin replied. “Info or no info, Lelouch?”

He relented and nodded. “All right.”

Bruce sighed. “Lima's half destroyed right now. The Shatterdome's been razed. We were able to salvage some of it, but we've lost a lot of local support. There's a new terrorist organization that's been growing throughout the world. The Marshals all know about it and have kept watch as have those of us in the First Class, but Lima was the first one we think they've actively targeted for the very reason that it wasn't a completed Shatterdome _and_ it didn't have any Jaegers assigned to it yet.”

“But wasn't Siegfied Kai-”

“They were supposed to be around the time Ragnarok hit. Then afterwards, we heard the rumors and the Knight of Ten was sent to investigate. We and Three got the calls to join up with him as part of our leave to suppress what we thought were just malcontents – not a really organized army of sorts. Ten stayed behind until just now.”

“Who are they?” Lelouch asked.

“People who think the kaiju are some kind of divine punishment for humanity. Cultists, we don't know. They're not just poor local people or malcontents in a stable Area. It went all the way up the military chain. Even some of the Honorary Britannians or Britannians themselves were in on this... Marshal Ansley, was lynched and murdered before we were able to get there a second time.” Trevin shook his head. “Bastards...”

“Kaiju cultists,” he muttered as he pondered the information in his head. “Makes sense.”

“Come again?” Bruce looked up and even Trevin was staring.

“There will always be those opposed to war, or on the other side, so to speak. It's been three years, give or take a half year or so,” Lelouch shook his head, “anything to do with the end of the world or mass destruction will always bring out those who think that this is divine punishments. Doubly so for those who live under Britannian rule. Area 6 may have been deemed stable and self-governing, but there's always rebel elements. They just happen to be biding their time.”

Both twins nodded grimly before Trevin rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Listen, this is-”

“Strict confidence, I know,” Lelouch stared at the other man. “No need to worry the population about this or the other Rangers that aren't in the know. What's the cover story?”

“Domestic terrorism,” Bruce replied, “Shoddy construction contracting company that didn't properly displace residents in relocation and created some very angry locals. Janowicz Enterprises is set to take the fall.”

“How big is the threat?” He asked.

“We don't know,” Trevin admitted.

Lelouch wanted to curse, but he also knew that it was too early to do so. Because the way the PPDC higher ups and First Class wanted to keep this under wraps without revealing the existence of kaiju cultists, they needed to proceed carefully and thus had limited resources.

“All right,” he sighed and nodded at the exhausted twins. “Thanks for letting me know, though-”

Trevin barked a quiet laugh. “Princeling, don't say it. You're better off when you're acting cool as a cucumber. We're just happy to help.”

“Not a Prince,” he eyed the more personable of the two. In the months spent with them, he had finally figured out how to tell them apart, though not for the lack of trying. It was their personalities. Both acted very similarly, but Trevin was a little more talkative than his brother. Bruce was a little more quiet and thoughtful, but could instantly act like his twin if push came to shove – which he did notice them using to their utter glee to confuse everyone who didn't know them that well. There was also the fact that he _knew_ Trevin was actively attempting to get into his good graces – more than likely because of the death glares he kept giving him for that time he danced with Euphie.

“Whatever,” Trevin shrugged. “Can't call you Strategos. Tohdoh would never let me hear the end of that one.”

Bruce snorted and rolled his eyes tiredly from where he laid his head back onto his elbow. “We good?”

Lelouch couldn't help the slightly crooked smile that appeared on his face as Trevin reached over to shut the bug diffuser off. “Glad to have you two back.” He got up and headed towards the door, unlocking it.

“Hey...praise, yay,” Bruce smiled sleepily before waving at him as he left.

Lelouch headed back to the hanger bay and climbed the stairs up to Gipsy's conn-pod where he found Suzaku standing waist-deep in the wires and metals of their Jaeger. His partner grunted at him in a greeting, mouth holding a couple of tools as Lelouch sat down near the edges. He picked up the PDA that he had been working on before the Gages had texted him.

Taking a tool out of his mouth, Suzaku stared at a particular section as he worked on it. “Kennedy?”

“No, just some strategy information that I was looking for,” Lelouch replied. It was the truth, even though he shaded it. There was nothing that could be done at the moment, but it was good to know what the whole hubbub was about in the meeting cut short on New Years Eve.

“Okay,” Suzaku accepted it as if it wasn't anything to bother with and Lelouch smiled fondly at his partner. He was still amazed at how readily accepting Suzaku was regarding strategy and even the potential of actively keeping secrets from him. It wasn't that he didn't want to keep it from Suzaku, but it was something he didn't exactly want to involve him in until he was sure that it wouldn't be used against his partner. It was bad enough that the whole incident regarding Knightmares would put a level of scrutiny on Suzaku, so in this case, the Gages and their information – if his partner ever found out – would put another level on him that Lelouch didn't want for him.

He absently scrolled through the data on the conn-pod, making a few coding adjustments and minor tweaks to the rig's settings. He supposed now was a good time to talk to Suzaku about the whole Knighthood thing.

“Hey Suzaku,” he started as he finished inputting a setting.

His friend gave a small grunt as he stuck a tool back into his mouth before adjusting something inside and took the tool back out to fiddle some more.

“Did you say you wanted to be my Knight just to appease me?”

“What?”

Lelouch shook his head. “Bad wording,” he apologized. “It sounded better in my head.”

Suzaku glanced up at him from where he was still adjusting some of the mechanical components. It was the shared center console area where the two rigs met and combined. “This about the Knighthood thing?”

“Yeah...I mean...if I decide to go back to being a royal some time in the near future and if we're still Drifting by then, would you really be happy to be my Knight?”

“You mean your meat shield?” Suzaku's voice was oddly neutral and Lelouch glanced at his friend to see him staring intently at wiring, but it didn't look like he was doing much.

His lips twitched as he tried to feel through their bond, but met a wall of neutral feelings. He stared at Suzaku. “It's the truth,” he decided to settle for his normal blunt honesty.

Suzaku sighed. “Yes, but probably not for what you think.” He looked up at him, taking out the tool he had stuck in the corner of his mouth and held it, tapping the end of it on the open panel he stood in. “I don't like it when you get like this, Lelouch.”

“Like what?”

“Like,” Suzaku waved a hand. “This...martyr complex you got going on.”

“I'm not a martyr-”

“Self-doubt then,” Suzaku stared at him. “It's like you're afraid, even though I can't feel it. But your words, your tone, the way you act. You feel like someone's going to snatch everything away from you, so you cling harder. You push, you ask and you can't just accept the answer in front of you at face value. You need to dig at it. You need to find out their motives and you need to make sure you know so you can properly arm yourself or something like that because you don't want to get hurt or lose whatever is precious to you.”

His nose wrinkled. “I don't like it. It's not the lack of trust, it's that I know what's driving it and I know I can't help that part of you even though I want to.”

“You make it sound like you're living for me and avoiding your own problems,” Lelouch frowned. “That's not healthy.”

“And neither is your martyr complex,” Suzaku looked at him for a moment before looking away. “I'm not abandoning you, Lelouch.”

“But neither should you agree to be my Knight-”

“And why do you get to dictate what I should or should not do, Lelouch-”

“Not until you get all of the information-”

“I'm pretty sure that I got a lot of the information and whole picture in the multiple conversations and discussions we've had between ourselves and even about Euphie's situation.”

“Yeah, but do you know what it really means?”

Suzaku looked at him, puzzlement across his features. “Why are you so afraid of the possibility that I _don't_ mind being your Knight? Is it subordination that scares you? The perception and lack of equality we may have with each other?”

Lelouch was silent for a long moment before he looked away. “I don't want you dying for me. Ever. I don't-”

“It's a fucking two way street there, Lelouch,” Suzaku said icily and he whipped his head back around to see Suzaku staring at him, green-eyes chipped and angry. “You think I'd be happy if you died on me? Fuck no.” Suzaku arched an eyebrow at him. “Being your Knight isn't just about whatever reservations you have about Knighthood. To me it's not about subordination or any of that status. I honestly don't care about status. But I _know_ you do. I know it affects how others see us, but between you and me, I don't care.”

He leveled him with a steady look. “Can you get it in your thick skull that I know what I'm saying? That you trust me? And that I know you don't want to go public because of all of the above? Can you respect that?”

Lelouch was quiet for a long moment. He reeled internally as if he had been slapped in the face. He chewed his lower lip for a second before looking away. “I fucked up...didn't I?”

Suzaku huffed a quiet laugh. “Probably...but I still love you for it.”

Lelouch laughed weakly as he rubbed his eyes with one of his hands. “No...” he started haltingly. “I guess my excuse of being in my first relationship, or even having an actual friend is probably a moot point.”

“Friends are allowed to fight,” Suzaku's voice had lost its icy quality, but it was still rather neutral sounding. “I'd chalk it up to your upbringing, Lelouch.”

“My upbringing?”

“Yeah, your upbringing. You're not used to people pushing back. I push back,” he replied and Lelouch peered through his hands to see his friend with a fond, crooked smile.

He silently nodded and ran his hand down his face as he sighed. “You're right,” he replied. “I didn't have friends growing up. I had servants, playmates, and siblings, two of which I only trust. I guess...I don't know how to not be afraid.”

“So don't,” Suzaku continued to look at him.

“What?”

“Be yourself. I know what I said that I don't like you like that, but it's something I've accepted as part of you. I've had you in my head enough to get it. I know what drives it. Lelouch, you don't have to like everything about your partner in a relationship or friendship. We're allowed to disagree on things. Nothing has to be so black and white. No absolutes. We're allowed to get angry, get pissed, hold stuff from each other. You're allowed to be human. You're allowed to be you. You wear a lot of masks and while I don't actively dislike it, I'll admit that some times your masks worry me. But I know you. You don't have to wear a mask in front of me. That's not fair to either one of us nor is it to our partnership.”

Lelouch frowned as he watched those green eyes. “...And you say I give to much of myself to us... What about yourself? All accepting of my faults and shit...”

The corner of Suzaku's lips twitched fondly. “Well...if you really want me to complain...could you _stop_ with the layers of blankets? It feels like an oven sleeping next to you.”

“I'm cold.” His eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He shook his head. “Seriously, Suzaku-”

“It's how friendships, relationships work, Lelouch. You can't try to impose your will on someone or dig into their beliefs. I don't mind being your Knight, even in private. I will voice my reservations in public because I know about the perceptions. But that's why I asked you back then. Let me _be_ your Knight. Let me protect you, let me love you like you love me.”

Lelouch felt the ragged sigh release from his lips as he looked down for a second. “I don't deserve-”

“Don't say that. I don't like it,” the iciness was back in Suzaku's voice. He glanced up to see him shaking his head vehemently. “I don't like it when you do that. It's not about what you deserve or don't deserve. You treat this like it is. We're partners. What's deserving for each one of us is that we're honest about it.”

He swallowed heavily. “It's...going to take...time for me to come to terms.”

“I know,” his friend nodded.

“I'm going to slip.”

“I know. We all do. I'll just be there to catch you.”

Lelouch felt the corner of his lips twitch in a fond smile. “Not if I catch you first.”

“You already did.” The iciness was gone, but Lelouch shook his head.

“That is so corny.” He hung his head as he shook with a silent laugh.

“It got you laughing.”

“Corny jokes aren't going to help here.”

“But it got you laughing.”

He sighed, too tired to argue as he glanced absently at the data feed and made some more adjustments. A brief whirling sound was heard before Suzaku made a noise of eagerness and reached for his tools to compliment whatever he did. They worked in silence for a few minutes before Lelouch looked at his friend again.

“You know why I asked?”

“I think I know, but I know you're also worried about the headlines,” Suzaku replied. “You start to get calls from your siblings?”

“Yeah...Schneizel for now...”

“I felt your anger the day we got back from Tokyo,” Suzaku sounded slightly distracted before something clicked and Lelouch's PDA lit green, indicating a strong connection. “There we go.”

“Nice,” he scrolled down to the next area they were tweaking. “Smoother rotational joints now.”

“Should improve reaction time by about...point-five percent?”

“Point seven,” Lelouch grinned before he felt the faint shock from Suzaku and grinned at him. “I did some OS modifications.”

“Nice,” his friend nodded. “You use the formula-”

“-that you came up with, yeah. Added a couple of extra lines and ran them by Dr. Lightcap before we started doing this though. Just in case.”

“Heh. Her baby after all.”

Lelouch made a humming noise as the thunk of tools hit the metal of the conn-pod flooring and Suzaku pulled himself out of the panel he was working on. He started to tuck a few of the lines and things back into place. Streaks of grease covered parts of his coveralls, but he looked satisfied with the work they've done.

“Kennedy's told me that there were some press under the guise of tourists and Jaeger Flies attempting to enter the Shatterdome while we were on leave,” Suzaku said, his voice half muffled as he reached down to shove a handful of wiring in before pulling himself back up. He set the panel close over it and huffed a breath as he sat next to him sprawled in the conn-pod.

Lelouch reached out to gently lace his fingers through Suzaku's and felt the slight sticky slick of grease on one of his fingers.

“Hey-”

“I'm just about done,” he used his other hand to shut the PDA down and tucked it under his other arm. “You okay?”

“As much as circumstances can be. Headlines are getting speculative. Story's picking up some steam. Can't say I'm a little bit weirded out by it. I've never had my name put out in such a public manner.”

“Not even in the Japanese press?”

“Eh, not for trying,” Suzaku shrugged. “I was a model citizen. Obedient, that sort of thing. Manila was probably the biggest headliner for me. Before that, Oahu's K-Watch dedication. Otherwise, not much, even in the gossip rags about me. Wasn't big on the party scene, perfect son of a Prime Minister, that sort of thing. Also helped that the clans and by association our reputations tended towards conservatism and low key things. It's not just...a thing talked about in the media until Jaeger Academy.” He glanced fondly at him. “Taking a foreign lover might be a thing I guess... Subtle rebellion?”

Lelouch snorted. “Very subtle.”

Suzaku was silent for a few minutes, staring idly up and around the conn-pod. Lelouch could feel him wresting with a decision of sorts in their bond before he seemed to make it and nodded absently.

“You got access to the mailbox there?”

“Yeah, need me to log in as you?”

“Yeah,” Suzaku gestured with his chin for Lelouch to take the ID tag he had clipped onto his collar while he had been working on Gipsy's innards. He reached over to grab it before scanning it with the PDA. Suzaku's profile and set up came up on the PDA and Lelouch opened his mailbox. A flood of entries loaded, most from the PPDC with headlines the same as his own, but there were a few scattered here and there with Japanese hiragana and katakana that he knew was from Suzaku's friends.

His eyes spotted a folder specifically created for Kaiju Research materials and figured it was for Dr. Saiki. There was a sub-folder labeled with Kennedy's last name underneath Kaiju Research. “Where should I go?” he asked, not really interested in looking and cataloging all of Suzaku's folders or how he had set up his inbox. Whomever Suzaku communicated with was not his business nor was he inclined to snoop.

“Trash can,” Suzaku stated, “sub-folder in there should be self-explanatory.”

Lelouch raised an eyebrow and navigated to the trash can folder, and found a sub folder that was labeled [Britannia]. A part of him wanted to laugh at the absurdity of having a Britannia-only folder in the Trash, but he restrained himself. He clicked in it and his humor was immediately wiped away as it was not the amount of emails in the folder, but rather the subject lines.

His mouth felt dry as he read through each subject and who they were from. Horror could not even begin to cover how he felt. But the feeling of anger was also growing. Emails from Carine, Guinevere, Marrybell, Cornelia, Clovis, Laila, Euliya, Hannes, hell even Odysseus and the other siblings to whom Lelouch only knew in passing or from parties. The only name that Lelouch did not see at first glance was Schneizel's. What was even worse was that the imperial _consorts_ had even deigned to email Suzaku, the mothers of all of his half-siblings. And various Knights that he was sure were personal knights to various family members. All stating the variation of the same thing, all wanting or asking Suzaku to consider being a Knight – not to be Lelouch's Knight, but _their_ Personal Knight.

He opened his mouth, but found he couldn't even get a single word out, his anger at the emails unable to form coherent words.

“I tried answering the first couple...but I think it might have just encouraged them,” Suzaku replied quietly. “It's...been happening since around the time _Tohdoh-sensei_ warned us.”

“T-That...long?” Lelouch swallowed, twice, trying to get some moisture into his mouth. His hand curled around the edges of the PDA as he squeezed his eyes shut. He barely felt the brush of fingers over his knuckles, his other hand still curled into Suzaku's. “It's my fault,” he forced out.

“Lelouch-”

“I...” he opened his eyes and looked at the subject lines and in particular the one from Guinevere. It dripped with disdain, but also of a highly sensual, almost graphic – if one honestly knew the words she was using, ostensibly to get past the PPDC's spam filters – nature in which Suzaku could serve as her Knight. He wanted to throw up.

“I talked to Schneizel. Told him to tell the others, tell our siblings that I wasn't going to make you my Knight. Apparently, I forgot...I honestly forgot that's like fucking open season on you.”

Suzaku sighed and Lelouch suddenly felt a slight twinge of pain on his skin near his fingers. He glanced down and back up to see Suzaku looking at him, having made the slight mark with his nails. “Did you not hear me? This has been going since _Tohdoh-sensei_ warned us. I've already been getting mail like this...”

“Yeah but-”

“You might have contributed to the floodgates, but it's not all of you to blame. Britannia's been waiting for an opportunity it seems since our media tour. Read the one that the Guinevere sent the first time. It's one of the first ones I replied to.”

“Big mistake,” Lelouch could not help himself.

“Yeah,” Suzaku agreed, “text porn, or something that passes for it in innuendo form is something I really don't want to read.” He nodded at him and Lelouch reluctantly went to go find the email from Guinevere.

Suzaku was right, it was one of the first ones. It was honestly not surprising considering what Lelouch knew about the First Princess. Vapid, spoiled, occasionally wont to buying random things like buildings just so she could flaunt her wealth. Hell, even her Knights were some of the best looking in the Empire. Whether they were deadly as well was another story, but Guinevere loved the finer things in life and was prone to show it off whenever she could. If she wasn't the life of the party, she would make herself the life next to whomever was the actual honoree. It was only in the face of the Emperor that she honestly knew her place.

He scanned Guinevere's email, his lips curling in distaste at the eldest of his half-sisters unabashed want for Suzaku, more as a trophy than as a Knight. She mentioned how stoic and heroic he was in the interviews, the perfect material for a Knight, a pure White Knight that the public would adore. At least she acknowledged his martial prowess, but in a manner that seemed like she was about to eat him all day – and night if she could get away with it. She made mention of allowing him to ride Gipsy Danger, owing to the fact that if he ever felt the need to sleep with her younger half-sibling for his own needs, she would not mind, but that he was expected to attend to her per his duties. Power, wealth, access to the riches of royalty and the favor of the illustrious First Princess was Suzaku's alone and she would open doors for him.

He scrolled up a little to catch part of Suzaku's reply and rolled his eyes. “You're too damn polite,” he glanced over to his partner who shrugged.

“Politely shutting down the First Princess in order to _not_ cause an international incident was probably the first of my concerns,” Suzaku shook his head. “Lesson learned.”

He sighed and logged out of Suzaku's profile as he tucked his PDA back underneath his arm. He reached over and re-clipped his friend's ID to his collar, his hand lingering and resting on the material of Suzaku's coveralls. Lelouch could feel Suzaku's collarbone shift a little underneath his touch as he stared at the badge. “It's going to be a storm,” he said quietly, not meeting his partner's gaze.

“I know...it's already begun. Whatever happens, we'll face it together.”

Lelouch nodded. “Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ends the Knight Arc. We start the Cultist Arc with the next chapter. Notes for the Knight Arc have been added to the "Kaiju & Monsters Notes" story for those interested.
> 
> A side note on the Beckets - I included them in this story partially b/c I do like them as characters in the original "Pacific Rim." That said, they're not the pilots of Gipsy Danger, soooo don't get too attached to them. They're more here for cameo purposes than actual story purposes.


	16. The Cultists Arc - Part I

Team Hydra Corinthian arrived at the Shatterdome a few days after the Gages returned from their mission. The pilot pair were to fly to Pendragon for the first series of interviews before flying to Paris in European United for the second leg of their interviews.

Lelouch and Suzaku found out that Angela Hansen had been chosen as their media handler was their handler for both legs. It seemed the woman had a knack for wrangling pilots with reputations that were difficult to sort out. Before her arrival, Suzaku turned into a man possessed as he tried to frantically find something in the day before Angela arrived. Lelouch asked, but Suzaku shook his head, saying it was a surprise. He left his partner alone, a bit amused at the frenetic feedback he was getting in their bond.

As they waited for Angela's flight to land, the Gages gave him and Suzaku a brief overview of the two young women and their profiles. The implication was clear that it would be up to Lelouch and Suzaku to guide them through what they would be facing in their interviews.

The four of them sat in one of the larger conference rooms, the twins towards the inside of the room while Suzaku sat diagonally across from Lelouch who was facing the door. He had asked to take lead on the introductions and the twins had agreed. Suzaku merely gave him a quick stare and shorthand for 'plan' and Lelouch shrugged in reply. He didn't want to say much; he was banking on Suzaku's genuine reaction when the two pilots walked in.

Kennedy LaRue was the first one in, plain-faced, tall and with a swimmer's build, but her pale skin combined with her sharp Spanish-looking features, gave her away as a mixed heritage of European United, more than likely from the Catalonia region that bordered the state of France. Behind her, Stephanie Lanphier, was also tall with strong bones and defined features that included her tanned skin. She was of Arcadian descent, part of the native tribes in the area that bordered Area 2 and the northeastern parts of Homeland. She moved smoothly, the grace of both a swimmer and of a hunter.

He drew himself up, fixing the two with a look, ignoring the slight frowns on the faces of the others in the room. “Rangers LaRue, Lanphier,” he greeted neutrally as if he was evaluating them from afar – which technically was true.

The change in Lanphier posture was immediate as she unconsciously straightened. He noted the small change; a habit  _ all _ Britannians learned from birth, to immediately show respect to a member of the royal household. Lelouch didn't blame her, considering he had not quite allowed that part of him to really be set loose in a long, long time. There was also the fact that the Emperor had hundreds of wives and a host of Knights so it was a habit that had to be learned by all citizens considering how scattered they were across the Homeland.

“Sir,” Lanphier's voice was higher-pitched than he expected, but she nodded once at him. “Sirs,” she greeted the others in the room.

“Sir,” LaRue stepped forward, but she did not nod. In fact, he could tell that there was a bit of anger in the greeting. She must have picked up on her partner's sudden submissiveness.

He felt a bit of a small swell of pride. This was good. This he could work with.

“Take a seat.” Lelouch gestured for them to sit in front of him and immediately LaRue took the seat directly across from him. She subtly directed her left hemisphere to sit next to her. That was rather interesting, but he also understood why she did it. LaRue  _ really _ did not like him at the moment and wanted to directly face him. Good and bad...but again, useful to this exercise he was conducting.

He turned to stare at Lanphier, seemingly ignoring LaRue. “Why did you become a Ranger?”

Lanphier looked a little confused. “Sir, it's in-”

“With your... _ background. _ ” He ignored the feeling from Suzaku as he bristled at his tone, but his partner did not speak up. “It would be easy to say that you don't have the qualities Britannians can easily look up to.”

“Hey-”

“Do you allow your partner to speak for you too?” He added coldly and saw a flare of anger in Lanphier's eyes before she visibly held up her hand to stop LaRue from coming to her defense. From Suzaku, he knew he was getting a very dark look, but neither did Suzaku speak up to stop him.

“Area 2 was one of the first to be subjected. I believe we are as much Britannians as those who are Honorary ones.”

“Arcadians sided with Washington's Rebellion,” he shot back.

“And?”

Lelouch smiled inwardly at her challenge. There was the fire. Good. He could work with that. “Perhaps its your savage blood-”

“Yo, whoa...no, no-”

He shot LaRue a look as she looked close to throttling him. “Area 24, Spain, was one of the more recently conquered areas. You should perhaps consider that.” He turned back to Lanphier who was staring at him with a more neutral look. Gone was the deference and he was glad of that at least. “Perhaps it is-”

“Perhaps it is an advantage for me,” she immediately cut in and he allowed his facade to crack just a little as he nodded with a small smile on his face. “We fought quite hard during Washington's Rebellion, but I am proud of what we did to stand up to the invaders.”

He heard one of the Gages cough before both women turned to look at the Knights. Bruce was grimacing and shaking his head while Trevin adopted a very neutral look.

“Too harsh,” Bruce muttered.

“What?” LaRue was utterly confused, but Lanphier blinked, tilting her head to the side before she glanced back at Lelouch.

“Oh...I get it,” she murmured before she shrunk a little. “Sorry...I didn't-”

Lelouch sighed and finally dropped the mask of the royal prince he was wearing and rolled his eyes. “First, stop apologizing. Second, you can tell your partner here before she ends up throttling me to the wall-”

“Not if I do it first,” Suzaku muttered darkly and Lelouch shot a disgruntled look at his partner.

That seemed to break the ice as Lanphier laughed nervously. Bruce hid a smile in his hand, while Trevin merely shook his head. Suzaku still kept giving Lelouch a dark look. He could feel the annoyance and dislike bleeding through their bond. Lelouch ignored it – Suzaku could think of his actions all he want, but it was a part of him as much as he lived and breathed it.

LaRue was the only one who looked utterly confused, before Lanphier patted her dominant hemisphere on the shoulder and smiled. “It's fine Ken.” Her smile was still a little watery, but she seemed to have regained some of her confidence. “I think it was just a test- err...”

“A test,” Lelouch confirmed with a nod. “No passing or failing, but an assessment of a couple of tells that we'll need to work with before Angela arrives.”

“Tells?” Lanphier looked worried. From LaRue, he received a dark look that rivaled Suzaku's that his previous attitude towards them was just an assessment.

The European United woman was definitely  _ not _ happy with him. She crossed her arms across her chest. “Give me one good reason why I should be listening to you after the stunt you just pulled, Exiled Prince,” she sneered.

Lelouch laughed. “If you're going to throw insults, Exiled Prince is probably the weakest and not exactly an insult if you're going to be throwing it in a Britannian Shatterdome.”

“Anchorage-”

“Is part of Britannian territory,” he stared at her. “Neutral, but still part of Britannian territory.”

“It should be independent.”

Lelouch's lips curled a little as he nodded. “It should, but you also might want to watch  _ whom _ you're saying to that in company.” He gestured wordlessly to the Gages. “They're probably the most liberal of Knights and Britannians, but it's not going to help you say if you end up being posted in Pendragon.”

LaRue fumed, her pale skin flushing a little at the reprimand.

“Also, temper control,” he tilted his head slightly.

“Excuse me?!”

“Temper control,” he stated again. “If I can rile you this easily, you're not going to survive the next few days of your tour.”

“What, so we become like, you robotic? Aloof? Cold, the rebel Prince?” Her eyes flashed.

He smiled, showing a little teeth. “Better on the insults, but still not good enough.” He sat forward, tenting his fingers together as he set it on the table. “The Britannians will paint you as a barbarian, a rebel and a corrupting influence with all of the sexist associations that women in Britannia get just for being a female. A free thinker who doesn't understand the prestige it means to pilot a Jaeger and the inherent superiority that goes with it. Most Britannians have it in their heads that Jaeger piloting is a military affair. One with associated knighthoods and prestige. European United is a democracy and an insult to the values of self-advancement. They're going to push at you to understand why you are the dominant pilot – why you, who is supposedly a socialist who  _ shares _ everything would end up having a Britannian of all people, be subordinate to you.”

He gestured with his chin towards her. “What I just did is, at the most, a mild version of what you can expect when they will leverage your partner here against you.”

“That was just plain mean-”

“It's supposed to be,” he frowned. “This is  _ not _ some high school swim meet or competition. This is war-”

“I fucking know that,” LaRue growled out.

“Do you?” he arched an eyebrow at her. “Lanphier gets it. She was able to at least come up with a suitable answer that was able to get the pressure off of her. You happen to fuck up her answer. So tell me, do you understand what's going to happen?”

LaRue looked away at nothing in particular. “Fucking media tour...” she muttered. “Fucking circus...fuck, just give me a fucking kaiju...”

“Kennedy...” Lanphier murmured quietly, dismay evident on her face. LaRue looked away from them.

“All part of the pomp and circumstances, Rangers,” Lelouch was not sympathetic to the European United woman's grumblings. He saw Suzaku grudgingly nod, but his expression was a little more sympathetic.

“So...um,” Lanphier started quietly.

“Got to be bolder, Ranger,” Lelouch shook his head. “I know you're not a shrinking wallflower there. You were rivals. You've competed. You know the pressure and what it feels like.”

His encouragement seemed to strike Lanphier as she nodded. “Sir. Sorr- er, yes sir.” She turned to Bruce. “Sir, what do you mean too harsh?”

Bruce sat forward. “Most people would already know Arcadians fought in Washington's Rebellion, so there's no need to hone in on that. Just a suggestion, but maybe place some emphasis on the contributions and lessons learned by your ancestors from that. Shape it into how it works with the kaiju and lean on those sentiments to tie it together. It forms a better narrative.”

“I can't believe we're making up stories-”

“Not if you play it correctly. You're making up what you  _ want _ the public to see you as. They've already got a perception of you coming out. So do the people interviewing you. You're going to have to disabuse them of their preconceived notions.” Lelouch looked at LaRue who had folded her arms across her chest, but she looked like she was finally listening.

“I already know that...”

He merely raised an eyebrow at her and she sniffed, looking away. After a few seconds she finally threw her hands up and groaned. “Ugh, fine. I wanted to go in defending Steph here, but you're saying no. So what am I supposed to do?”

“Use that defense for your European portion of the tour. Your media is going to crucify her.”

Lanphier squeaked in surprise. “But-”

“Euro-Britannia was established specifically as a region where the alleged excess and capitalistic tendencies of the European United states would not be tolerated and suppressed. Because Ranger Lanphier here is part Arcadian, they're going to hammer that portion in and pin Euro-Britannia on her. It doesn't help that a lot of the Knights stationed there even now are from the east coast of Homeland. Knights who thought reconquering the former lands before Napoleon chased the Britannian family off of it would be great for their victory laurels.”

LaRue stared at him, her eyes hooded and dark, but her posture attentive and very much listening to his analysis of European United. “Devious Prince aiming to overthrow his father?”

Lelouch grinned tightly. “Very good insult.” He resisted looking at the Gages. It was hitting very close to the mark that if there was a potential coup or rebellion even being thought of in this context, the Knights of Two would be forced to act. LaRue was proving to him that she was a hell of a lot smarter than she looked when it came to word games. She was learning very fast and leveraging the knowledge she had just acquired in scant few minutes contrary to her disgust at the whole process.

“I'm...confused...” Lanphier said quietly.

“I'm impressed,” Suzaku suddenly spoke up, having been silent the whole time. “Not many who can quickly read and pick up on what Lelouch drops.”

“Don't have to. He just gave me all the keys,” LaRue's smile showed a perfect row of teeth on her plain face. “Still a royal bastard though.”

Lelouch had to think on her words for a half second before nodding. “Yeah...that's technically true. Sorry, you don't win the insult on that one.”

“So, besides temper control...”

“It's going to be a hard pattern to break because it is ingrained in you, but work on losing the deference to royals. Consider extending that to nobility as a whole.” He looked at Lanphier.

“I...”

“When you greet your fellow Rangers, there's pride, right?” Lelouch didn't know how to quite put it into words, but he tried. “You're proud to be standing with them. Something like that right? But when you walked in, you saw me and I didn't see that pride. You saw what  _ I _ wanted you to see, a Prince of Britannia. It's something that it's not easily fixable. But it can be a habit that can be attempted to be broken while you're on tour. You'll be greeted by nobles, you'll be greeted by members of the royal family. Don't forgo the bowing and titling, but when you meet them, show them your pride as a Ranger. You're beyond them. You represent the world.”

LaRue snorted, covering it with a hand. “You sound almost European.”

“Minus the corruption and capitalistic tendencies.” The corner of his lips quirked up in a smile.

“True,” she replied.

“But you two...defer to him?” Lanphier pointed to the Gages and then to Lelouch. “I don't get it.”

“That's respect we've built up in the last few months of working. Not a deference. I think I see what you mean, Lelouch,” Bruce pursed his lips for a moment. “You approach, not as if you know everything – that's Lelouch's style because it suits him and he works on a different level than any of us-”

“Thanks...”

“-Suzaku, go deflate his ego in the Kwoon after this, okay?”

Suzaku chuckled quietly and Lelouch rolled his eyes at them.

“Anyways, back to the whole thing about approaches. You approach any conversation any person with the confidence that you're a Ranger. You know what it took to get through the six months. That yeah, you may be a bit of a rookie right now, but you're looking to learn some more. Most nobility and royals won't  _ know _ what it means to be a Ranger. They'll have their own preconceived notions. You go up to them and you break them. You don't let them run wild with their notions of you. That's how you get out of the deference towards nobility and royals without being automatically in awe or submissive of them.”

Lanphier nodded. “Um...but what about, um...never mind.”

“Ranger?”

Lanphier mutely shook her head, but it was LaRue who closed her eyes and lifted her head. “Oh no...” The other woman gave a long look at her partner before shaking her head. “I'm not Drifting or having a RABIT form with this stuck in my head, Steph. No, not again. It was bad enough the first time. Not doing it again. You tell them, or I'll tell them.”

Lanphier squeaked again before finally nodding.

LaRue rolled her eyes. “Steph has probably  _ the _ biggest celebrity crush, and I mean big, on both li Britannias. Princess Cornelia  _ and  _ Euphemia. As in idolizes them, wanted to be a Knightmare pilot before Jaeger Academy showed up, couldn't get into Class 2016-A, the whole damn works.”

There was dead silent for a few seconds as they digested the news. Meanwhile, the Britannian Ranger was turning a little red under her tanned skin. However, before Lelouch could think of something Suzaku made a noise of interest and propped up his PDA.

“Fansite?” Suzaku asked.

Lanphier nodded mutely, her expression a little miserable. LaRue meanwhile, was patting her partner consolingly on the shoulder. Suzaku typed a few things in before showing his screen to Lanphier to which she nodded mutely again and he typed some more. Lelouch watched his partner as he seemingly puzzled out a few things before looking up at them.

“Britannia's probably already all over this. But thankfully, no creation of a fansite. Just some postings behind a handle. But you do have a semi-public social handle.”

“Social media is forbidden under PPDC rules,” Trevin looked a little concerned.

“I know, I closed it starting Term 3. Didn't say anything about it, but they should all be deactivated now.”

“Still has her old posts unfortunately. Angela's going to have some of her work cut out from her if she's going to scrub all of this,” Suzaku shut the screen down before anyone could see what he had found. “Judging by how fast Britannian media works, chances are, its too late and she's going to be asked about her...crush on Euphie at least considering they're posted in Anchorage with us.”

Lanphier groaned, turning redder. “I didn't mean to-”

“That can turn ugly in so many ways,” Trevin finally spoke up, having also been silent throughout the whole process.

“There can be one way to mitigate it, I think,” Suzaku looked thoughtful.

“How?” LaRue looked interested.

“She can meet Euphie and get to know her,” Suzaku smiled easily.

Lanphier's head shot up immediately, mortified. “Oh no...no, no, no, no-”

Suzaku, Trevin, Bruce and even LaRue chuckled quietly. Lelouch merely smiled, feeling a little sorry for the young woman.

“I-I mean, they're heroes. They're my inspiration for joining, for even existing. I mean they're perfect-”

“That's your answer,” Suzaku looked kindly at her. “Use that against what they may twist your narrative. But, I still think it's probably better if you get to know Euphie. She's pretty down to earth considering she's the only royal we've got here. It may help with the unexpected questions.”

“Don't feel the need to defend her honor,” Lelouch suddenly added.

“Wait, what? But-”

“Don't defend her honor,” he glanced at Suzaku who instantly got what he was saying and nodded in agreement. Euphie was still under pressure from Cornelia to look for a Knight. Any thing relation to her honor or could be construed as one would have the older of the two li Britannias all over it. He caught the slight nods of approval from the Knights of Two.

“I think the best thing is to meet Euphie,” Suzaku continued as if no one had interrupted. “Plus, probably practice that whole not being deferential to royals thing Lelouch said.”

“...Yeah but-”

“I think it's good,” LaRue stated.

“Ken?” Lanphier was clearly trying to muster up the courage to meet one of her heroes and it must have passed through their bond as she nodded not even a second later, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “Okay...okay...I, uh...yeah.”

“Cool,” Suzaku opened his phone and pressed a button-

“What,  _ NOW?! _ ” Lanphier shrieked.

Everyone in the room winced at the volume before she clapped her hands over her mouth. “Er...”

“...Suzaku? What was that?” Euphie's voice was very clear over the phone.

“Hey, nothing big,” Suzaku slid his seat over a couple of inches towards Trevin, giving Lanphier a doubtful look for possibly another outburst as he talked to Euphie. “Just wondering if you're done with the latest uploads from the conn-pod rig configuration the other day?”

There was some silence as Suzaku placed the phone on his ear to muffle whatever Euphie was saying back.

“Wanted to see if you wanted to meet Hydra Corinthian,” the corner of Suzaku's lips turned up in a slight humor. “One of them is a fan of yours.”

Lanphier's mortified expression turned into horror at the same time she turned beet red. LaRue was all but holding her stomach in an attempt to stifle her own laughter. Lelouch couldn't hear what Euphie's response was but Suzaku was nodding and making a noise of agreement.

“Right, see you in about fifteen, mess hall.” He hung up and glanced at them. “Should we wrap this up?”

Lelouch nodded. “I've got nothing else.”

“Oh really,” LaRue's teeth-filled smile was instantly back. “Seems kind of weak for someone who's just been lecturing and insulting us, rebel Prince.”

“Killing you two with kindness isn't going to work,” Lelouch was not bothered by her words. He turned to Bruce and Trevin. “Knights?”

“Nothing else need be said. Angela can handle the rest,” Bruce got up and stretched, signaling the end of the conference. “I do want to see this though...”

Lanphier groaned. “Why...?”

“Tradition. Gotta rib you young Rangers a bit. Plus, I've never seen Princess J-Tech interact with a fangirl.”

“No?” Suzaku got up from his seat as LaRue all but attempted to pick up her mortified partner. Lanphier reluctantly got up.

“Oh wait, all of her fans are now her friends I think...” Bruce said loudly. “Seriously, Ranger Lanphier, you've got nothing to worry about. Euphie  _ is _ the most down to earth royal of the whole Britannian family, including ex-royal there.”

“That doesn't comfort me,” Lanphier sounded quite put out as they headed out of the room.

“Trev, you coming?”

“Give me a second,” Trevin replied and the door slid close behind them. Lelouch turned in his chair and tossed a bug diffuser back at the Knight of Two.

“I don't think they'll need it,” he said.

“Can I ask why? Their body language clearly states otherwise,” Trevin looked at him.

“It did, but they'll get less scrutiny,” Lelouch replied and saw the other man's gaze narrow a little.

“...You've a plan.”

“Half of one,” he admitted. “It could go either way at this point. Salvaging the pieces to this may be our best bet. Plus, I'm hoping to leverage it further up.”

Trevin's eyes widened before he shook his head. “I'm in awe each time you decide to reveal your hand, Lelouch.”

“Don't,” Lelouch shook his head. “This is child's play right now.”

“All right,” the other man held up his hands away from his body. “Still, it's pretty brave of you and Suzaku to do this.”

“He doesn't know,” Lelouch looked towards the door. “He's probably aware on some level, but he doesn't know.”

Trevin frowned. “I thought secrets-”

“Not willfully. It's the willful ones, the ones we both don't like keeping from each other I think messes with the ghost Drifting. I've already asked Dr. Lightcap about it when all of this started. She says its a high probability considering its both Drift partners that don't like something as opposed to one who is willfully keeping a secret and the other one just accepts it.”

Trevin nodded. “Makes sense. Still brave of the two of you to weather the storm like this.”

“I just hope its enough,” Lelouch shook his head as he stared at nothing in particular. “I wish it didn't have to be like this, nor have it fall on those two, but...”

“They needed to know too. They need to find that balance that you and Suzaku did,” Trevin snorted quietly before standing up. He walked over to the door, but didn't exit. Instead, he turned his head slightly. “Hey, Lelouch, don't take this the wrong way, but...you may be more like your father than you think.”

With that, the Knight of Two left and Lelouch grimaced. Those were truer words than the other man had expected. He  _ felt _ like the Emperor when he had hurled those nasty words at Hydra Corinthian. He hated it and hated himself for it – that he knew there was always apart of him that was like the man that gave him half of his DNA.

* * *

The mystery of Suzaku's frenetic findings was revealed the day Angela landed. His partner had presented the woman with a custom-baked bearclaw. Suzaku had asked the chefs to teach him how to make the treat and it turned out Euphie had been Suzaku's test subject. It certainly explained Euphie's mood in the last day or so, especially when she met the pilots of Hydra Corinthian. Angela for her part, was utterly touched by the gesture and all but told Lelouch that she was going to adopt and steal his partner to take back home to Sydney once she was done with the tour.

Lelouch jokingly took it in stride and told her to make sure there was at least a couple of air holes in her luggage, some food and water. It had lightened the mood considerably and made the Hydra Corinthian pilots a little less nervous as they boarded their plane to Pendragon the day after. Lanphier was still a little nervous around Euphie, but seemed to have lost a lot of her tendencies to be embarrassed after meeting her. LaRue, however, was still quite snippy towards Lelouch, coming up with every iteration of royal bastard and thereof to attempt to insult him.

“She likes you,” Euphie said as Lelouch sat on a couple of crates next to the workstation she was running a few calculations over. He had his PDA out, connected to her workstation to sync a few of the readings.

LOCENT was empty this time of the day, most of the other personnel doing other things. There were one or two from Romeo Blue, Gipsy Danger and Hydra Corinthian, but both veteran teams were already going over a few things with their Hydra counterparts to get them settled further into Shatterdome life. Suzaku and the Gages had decided to helm that little project and was currently going over with Marshal Kennedy schedules and training times.

He did not mind, even though he had set Gipsy's schedules. Suzaku had bluntly told him that while he was really organized, his people skills after pulling his stunt with the pilots of Hydra Corinthian left a lot to be desired.

“Come again?” Lelouch tapped a few buttons before bringing up the latest news feed. He frowned as he read the latest headlines tagged with the PPDC on it.

“Kennedy LaRue,” Euphie did not look at him, her fingers flying across the keyboard. “She likes you.”

“She keeps attempting to insult me. It's getting pretty creative and amusing,” Lelouch replied.

“So, she likes you. Suzaku says its like a  _ tsundere _ the way she acts around you. Granted, he also said that she was  _ really _ pissed off at you for the little stunt you pulled on the two of them during your first meeting, but she's kind of had a crush on you since apparently you and Suzaku were helping the B class the day after graduation.”

“Jaeger Fly?” he raised an eyebrow.

Euphie shook her head. “You tell her that, guaranteed you'll get slapped for sure.”

“Eh,” he shrugged. “And that's a really specific time frame to have developed a crush.”

“I got them to spill the beans while I was getting to know Stephanie,” Euphie tapped a few more lines.

“You know, Schneizel's looking for an interrogator-”

“Lelouch,” she pursed her lips and glared at him. “Stop it.”

“You have a gift, Euphie,” he looked at his half-sister and she shook her head, rolling her eyes at him.

“You're incorrigible,” she turned back to her screen and started to type some more.

He turned back to his PDA and stared at the headlines. There was still no mention of Lima, but the PPDC tag was promoting the tour of Hydra Corinthian already while doing a profile on the Beckets and Coyote Tango's history. A few articles on Marshal Tohdoh and Ranger Nagisa completed a series on the Jaeger along with Onibaba and some headlines regarding the latest in K-Science and K-Watch.

However, the majority of the articles were about Ranger pairs; more specifically about him and Suzaku. There was already a running profile on himself, with bits and pieces of Court gossip about his early life, what he might have been doing in Hawai'i in the years of 'exile'. Suzaku had a smaller profile, but they focused a lot on what the Japanese media was publishing. A couple of blurry pictures of Suzaku in a Japanese school uniform were also posted, but a lot less news which was a blessing in disguise.

Tohdoh was right, the Japanese media were not going to crucify them...not yet he hoped. But the Britannian media was apparently trying to psychoanalyze him, the loss of his mother, the speculative loss of Nunnally – the only thing the palace had printed was 'no comment' on that particular rumor. There were a few absurd articles from supposed childhood 'friends' and playmates that listed things that were untrue or could only be inferred.

The worse headlines were ones that speculated about how his childhood trauma could change his sexuality, or what he identified as from a very young age. They were already labeling him, though he supposed the saving grace was that the palace had another 'no comment' regarding that sort of nonsense and neither was any of his half-siblings inclined to comment. It was not altruism on their part, but rather they knew the palace's stance on keeping every single royal available for marriage or alliances regardless of sexuality. There were headlines blasting conversion therapy, countering headlines blasting that they knew exactly what he was and he was a role model to certain communities. Another bad one was the rag that speculated who was top or who was bottom, with majority of the articles stating that Suzaku was completely the bottom as they could not believe a Japanese would be able to so-call dominate an ex-royal of Britannia.

“Why do you read that?” Euphie suddenly spoke up, startling Lelouch and he glanced to see her staring at his PDA. He realized he had it slightly tilted towards her and tilted it back. Her frown grew deeper.

“Masochist,” he replied, not exactly in the mood to talk about it. His latest gambit relied on this, even though he absolutely hated it. Trevin's words from the other day rang true – hopefully he and Suzaku could weather it successfully enough for him to pull off his gambit.

“Lelouch...”

“Euphie...”

She arched a pink eyebrow at him. “Your tough act is getting old.”

“How is it old? It doesn't bother me,” he narrowed his eyes. “I read it because it's unfortunately part of the PPDC tags. Not my fault if I read an article about K-Science and what we're putting out and this shit shows up.”

“You're  _ willfully _ reading it. I know you,” she set her jaw stubbornly.

“Then you know I'm really not bothered by it. This is a long time coming. We just so happen to have been caught by it. You remember what happened during your tenth birthday party?”

Euphie made a face. “Ugh yes...who knew Clovis would spike the punch and get us all drunk. At least we were able to wave away the speculations of incest.”

“Yeah, after you kissed me full on the lips-”

“No, you did that first. I remember it,” Euphie stared at him before shaking her head. “Don't foist the blame on me. Birthday girl immunity-”

“Uh huh,” he smiled slightly. “Kiss and don't tell.”

She laughed and he joined her after a few seconds. He tilted his PDA back towards her, sobering after a few minutes of companionable silence. “It's really not a bother. Honestly, I'm glad that its all open right now. They can speculate to high heaven and won't get anything out of myself or Suzaku.”

Euphie smiled sadly, but then tapped her console absently. “What if the PPDC asks you to issue a statement?”

Lelouch stared at her, tilting his head. “What...do you mean?”

She pursed her lips for a second before looking back up at him. Her cornflower blue eyes had an emotion he couldn't identify, but it might have been regret. “Cornelia's...getting really concerned.”

“Is this before or after she asked Suzaku to be her Knight?” he stared at his half-sister.

She sighed. “She asked me to ask him. I told her no. She doesn't want me to be caught up in it-”

“-Because the lack of a Knight is definitely going to make the Court speculate,” Lelouch finished for her and she nodded. “At least the royal family's policy of 'no comment' seems to be working at the moment.” He tapped the side of his PDA absently. “The Board might ask for a statement, but I talked to Schneizel back about a month ago. He probably won't force the issue and if he does, it won't be from me.”

Euphie's lips quirked up in a small smile. “Something about turnabout and fair play as I see it?”

“Why, Euphie,” Lelouch gave her a mocking look, “you accusing me of attempting to foist this on someone else?”

“Knowing you and Schneizel, yes.” Her smile bloomed.

“I'm touched,” he was warmed by her praise.

Her hands flew over the keyboard some more. “Anything I can do to help?”

Lelouch shook his head. “Everything you've been doing is fine, Euphie. Thank you for asking.”

Euphie made a noise of agreement as they settled back into their work. Lelouch minimized the newsfeed and got himself lost back in the data for tweaking Gipsy's systems. Tomorrow would be the first interview for Hydra Corinthian and he was looking forward to hearing what the two women would say – both about being Rangers, but also in respect to a rather unusual pairing.

* * *

It wasn't a bad way to wake up – certainly one of the better ways – but Lelouch felt himself smile as he awoke to the feeling of Suzaku's lips tracing light kisses on his skin. He didn't know where his partner had started from, but he definitely felt the one landing on his collarbone and the next one lightly up his neck, then to his chin before landing on his lips in a very long one. He responded, his hands automatically curling against his partner's head and pulling him down onto him as he opened his mouth to fully continue exploring Suzaku's own.

A muffled laughed issued from Suzaku's mouth they parted slightly. “You're awake,” he felt the words form, more than he heard.

“This is the new morning calisthenics?” he asked slightly breathlessly as Suzaku moved back just a hair and kissed his nose. He could feel his partner's body shift next to him, hands gently gripping his shoulders and his tee-shirt, but they didn't move further down.

“No...just wanted to see if you would wake up instead of an alarm,” Suzaku whispered just as the harsh alarm blared.

The two of them winced at the sound before Lelouch released the grip he had on his partner's head and Suzaku lifted one of his own hands from his shoulder to reached over him to shut off the noisy thing. “Mood killer,” Suzaku muttered as he shifted back.

Lelouch opened his eyes, still feeling a little sleepy, but quite content with the kisses that had woken him up. He smiled and resisted the urge to go nip at his partner's skin. “We could make it morning calisthenics,” he offered.

Suzaku laughed, a deep rumbling sound judging by how close he was to him. “No, I like running.”

“I don't,” Lelouch groused as he felt his partner shift off of him and the bed dip. Suddenly, Suzaku turned back and kissed him again on the lips – this one short and sweet. Affection poured across their bond.

“Come on, get up sleepyhead,” Suzaku said as the bed dipped again and Lelouch glanced over to see his partner stretching and standing up, already putting on his PT clothing.

Lelouch threw his arm over his eyes for a second, wondering if he could wheedle Suzaku to just stay in bed for once. He wouldn't even mind if they had sex. Just anything to  _ not _ go outside in the damn winter of Anchorage, Alaska. It was still dark – scratch that – perpetually dark now. Sunlight was at maximum five or six hours in the winter and it wasn't even a full sunlight. The sun made it look like it was semi-perpetually twilight.

“Come on!” The bed dipped again and Lelouch felt Suzaku prodding him.

He groaned. “I've suddenly come down with a case of illness,” he grumbled.

That only got a laugh from his friend. “No. I would know.”

“Damn Drift,” Lelouch pouted for a second before sighing. “Fine. Getting up.” He lowered his arm and pushed himself up from the bed. He absently ran a hand down the back of his hair to mat down some of the finer strands that tended to stick up whenever he slept.

Suzaku made a noise of sarcastic happiness as he sat back down onto the bed to lace up his running shoes. Lelouch rubbed his own face, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lights in the room. Due to the extreme days of sunlight and darkness, Anchorage Shatterdome had been equipped with dimmer switches everywhere. Every single room had dimmer switches, enabling light control. All bulbs were also of the natural sunlight variety in order to promote the formation of vitamin D. He glanced at the switch at the far end of the room and wondered if he should flick it to maximum in a fit of petulance...then decided against it as it would only give himself a headache in return.

Sometimes it kind of sucked to Drift in that sense. No way to potentially pull a prank or retaliate against his best friend without taking some of the damage himself. He yawned and stretched, only to glance at his phone by the end table as it suddenly rang. Milly's name popped up and he frowned before answering it, setting it to speaker mode.

“Milly?”

“Are you guys running outside yet?”

“No...” he glanced at Suzaku. “We're about to...”

“Yeah, don't. Hydra Corinthian just did their morning interview and holy shit...it's bad.”

“...Bad? As in good-bad, bad-bad, how-horribly-bad-is-it? Bad in what context?” Lelouch managed to keep his own voice steady.

“As in, Hydra Corinthian just confirmed they're an official couple. Pretty sweet and adorable in that context, no mention of you guys and they definitely ignored and directed the questions back to Ranger Protocol, but social is going batshit insane. They're already coming up with wild theories and some hack account that's been attempting to pass as you, Lelouch, just congratulated them on coming out and that you'd wish you could do the same.”

“There's social accounts in my name?” Lelouch stared at the phone as if it held all of the answer.

“I said a hack attempting to pass off as you. It's a troll account, but people are running five million miles with it. Don't go outside, not today, maybe not in the next week or two. Go to the Kwoon or something. Whatever press is outside on the borders will probably try to get a telephoto lens of the two of you or worse, bring a helicopter or something.”

“Milly-” Suzaku rounded the bed and sat next to him.

“I'm not kidding this time, Suzaku,” Milly sounded worried. “It's not pretty on social. Euphie and I are headed to the Marshal's office to see what we can do for damage control. Don't go out. Not until we figure out a plan.” She hung up and Lelouch stared at the phone that was blinking with how long the call was.

He felt and heard the deep breath Suzaku let out quietly as they sat in the silence of their room. “...Well...”

“Well...” he echoed a moment later. His partner leaned against him and Lelouch felt the affirmation and warmth pulse lightly through their bond. He smiled faintly as he returned the sentiments. He reached over and finished putting on his PT clothing as Suzaku got up from the bed and waited for him by the door.

Their eyes met and they both nodded at each other before they left their room. Their route would have once taken them outside to run around the exterior of the Shatterdome, down by the rocky, icy beach and past the hanger bays where the Jaegers would rolled out and back, but this time, Lelouch headed in a complete different direction.

Suzaku followed silently next to him, never once curious, but rather a steady presence against him as they took the elevator up – not down to the Kwoon – to the same floor that Marshal Kennedy's office was in along with LOCENT  _ and the war room _ . Lelouch heard the muffled voices of Milly and Euphie in the nearby office before he entered the war room along with Suzaku and locked the door behind them.

He dialed the code into the panel that Schneizel had given him, and saw the lights dim a little as the security features activated. He didn't notice that before, but supposed with everything that had been going on in early December, he didn't really pay much attention to it. He dialed Schneizel's number.

His brother picked up on the second ring, and Lelouch was not surprised to see that he was already looking like he had been awake for some time. Knowing his older half-brother, Schneizel more than likely had an early start as always.

“I was expecting a call-”

“Cut the bullshit Schneizel,” Lelouch interrupted as he stared at his brother. “Have we done enough for whatever little distraction you think we needed to do?”

Schneizel's kind, soft smile was fixed on his face, but Lelouch could see his light purple eyes widen just a hair in surprise. “I wasn't aware-”

“You should perhaps recommend that whomever escorts Euphie around  _ not _ spill the beans on a sensitive operation in Lima,” he said steadily. It was partially the truth, but also for the fact that Lelouch did not want to reveal his hand that fast. The Knights of Two were discreet with their information and he would return the favor. As for Euphie, he knew her well enough that she would happily dive into this game with eyes wide open considering how well she was able to read people.

As for the Knight of Three...well, Lelouch did not owe Gino Weinberg anything, though he did feel Suzaku's slight disapproval through their bond. However, there was no expression on Suzaku's face, opting for the simple neutrality and impartiality of the conversation. Perhaps Drifting did have benefits if Suzaku was able to contain his emotions so readily in him like he had been playing the game of royal siblings for a long time.

“There is also the lack of timeline updates that are normally sent out at the end of month regarding Lima and we haven't heard any one posted there when the Shatterdome is technically still on schedule to be completed...oh about two weeks ago? Wasn't it supposed to be opened in a New Year's celebration to coincide with the graduating class of 2016-B?”

He tilted his head in thought and affected a falsified tone of wonderment. “Then I thought Siegfried Kai-”

“All right you've made you point quite clear, Lelouch,” Schneizel cut him off with a smile that did not reach his light eyes. “Surely you're not that angry with me considering this call-”

“I want in,” Lelouch stated, leaning forward on the war table with his palms pressing against the table. “We want in. Whatever is happening in Lima.”

“Lelouch, I hardly think-”

“You sent the Knight of Ten in there first. Then the Knight of Three. Two Knights of the Round, Schneizel. One of them a Jaeger pilot. You're both the Prime Minister  _ and _ Chairman of the Board of the PPDC. It's certainly not a Britannian matter so much as easily as it can be inferred that it is a PPDC matter. Coincidence that Lima is home to a Shatterdome? No. We. Want. In.”

“Just local insurrection-”

“Schneizel,” he glared at his brother. “Stop bullshitting me. Area 6 is one of  _ the _ most stable areas in the Empire. You don't send two Rounds there without consequences. Without someone finding out. Read us in or else we won't be your distraction anymore.”

One of Schneizel's blond eyebrows rose up in surprise. “Oh...and how may you do that? As we last talked, little brother, you wouldn't heed my advice. Have you changed your mind so fast?”

“It's been over a month and a half, Schneizel. Things change, circumstances have proven...far more interesting than previously considered.”

“Hydra Corinthian's matters haven't helped, have they?” Schneizel's gaze was sharp and Lelouch merely stared back. He refused to allow himself to be affected by the tone his older half-brother took.

“I know you put them with us to tip the scales in your favor,” he said quietly. “However much you claim not to manipulate people like pawns.”

“They needed the guidance from the two of you,” Schneizel countered.

“They do, but there was a benefit to this for you,” he replied carefully. “So read us in and we'll talk.”

“Pendragon,” Schneizel immediately said and Lelouch curled his fingers slightly against the table.

“You bastard,” he muttered. “You wanted us in Pendragon all along, didn't you?”

“It would make reading you, both of you, into this a lot easier as well as eventual strategizing needs,” the other man offered and Lelouch snorted, looking down for a second before back up. “Anchorage was a mere stop for the two of you. To ease the public into accepting your pairing. Ranger Kururugi's willingness to accept limitations on his travel just for Knightmare technology was an added benefit. It makes it a lot easier to work with the two of you in that sense. However, posting the Beckets to Tokyo was also done to appease the Ranger's father in an effort to smooth things over politically.”

“Good luck with that,” Suzaku muttered none too loudly.

Schenizel merely smiled blandly at that statement. “Pendragon and-”

“And?”

“-And, you, back where you belong.”

Lelouch's fingers tightened into fists as he stiffened. He tried hard to not let the shock show on his face. He knew where Schneizel wanted him exactly. “That's Knighthood...” he whispered tightly. He dared not look at Suzaku. He looked up at Schneizel. “How the fuck are you  _ going _ to explain that one away? Save not causing a diplomatic incident?”

“If I read both you into this information, you will be allowed to command Britannian's forces however you wish. You will not get a rank in the military, but you will have the authority bestowed upon you as Prince of the realm. With Ranger Kururugi as your Knight, he would receive the same benefits of command which would surely appease some of the more war hawks in the UFN and a few in the Japanese government,” his half-brother's eyes were quite neutral, but Lelouch could see the flickers of pleasure in them. His brother was playing this narrative very well.

“I thought it was a PPDC matter,” he said quietly.

“It is, but the PPDC only has Jaegers. Not Knightmares. It would be our...gift to the UFN to help in this matter.”

“And the explanation?”

“We go public with what we know of what's happening in Lima. It will quell, but not erase, the story that is taking Britannia by storm at the moment. We can never kill such a thing completely, trust me, Lelouch, this one is from experience. But it focus the public sentiment and efforts back onto the war and give them an additional enemy to turn their hatred towards.”

“Enemy?”

Schneizel smiled slightly. “Uh-uh, Lelouch,” he shook his head slightly. “That is all I am willing to give before you consider agreeing to this.”

Lelouch snorted quietly as he flexed his fingers slightly, staring down at the blank war table for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Command authority even without the Knighthood-”

“No, you're not making this easy to back out of, Lelouch. Return to the family and Knighthood in exchange for command of the Britannian forces for this-”

“Read us in first,” he countered with a look up at his older half-brother. “If you want this to be a PPDC effort with Britannian forces, you'll need to leverage our standings as Rangers before my standing as a royal. You'll never get buy-in from the UFN then. Proposal needs to come from a Ranger, not another Prince of Britannia. You can reveal later after the operation is a success that it was from a Prince. And if it's just operational command you're asking for, then I leave that to you or whatever Round you decide to put in charge.”

He could see the moment he trapped Schneizel as his light purple eyes flashed for a second. His brother snorted quietly. “You drive a hard bargain, Lelouch.”

“Read us in while the Emperor considers your proposal. We can get started with the planning,” Lelouch arched an eyebrow, “you know it's better this way.”

“I do,” Schneizel replied, “and knowing you, I may have walked my Queen into a trap.”

“Then forfeit like you always do,” Lelouch countered.

The smile he received was all teeth, but resolved into a friendly one a half second later. “And not savor this chance?”

“Gloating doesn't become you.”

“Very well then,” Schneizel nodded magnanimously. “I will bring my proposal to the Emperor and  _ strongly _ recommend he considers it. You will have to make an appearance before him once we finalize Gipsy Danger's transfer to Pendragon. In the meantime, I will send you and Ranger Kururugi the information. Share with no one and I mean no one, not even Euphie. The two of you will be given a dispensation and promotion to Senior Rangers which will give you the authority to put forth proposals without going through a Marshal and will come straight to my desk.

“However, I do recommend looping in Marshal Kennedy for anything  _ not _ related to this. There is still protocol that I know you are being taught to follow, Lelouch.”

Lelouch sniffed. “Your favorites have...interesting personalities.”

“Lelouch...”

“Yes, yes,” Lelouch waved away the warning. “Loop in Marshal Kennedy when necessary and not related to the Lima Operation.”

Schneizel made a small noise of exasperation before he paused for a moment. “Lelouch, it's for the best.” His eyes flicked to Lelouch's left and Schneizel inclined his head slightly. “Ranger Kururugi, I know you may have some reservations, but from the bottom of my heart, I truly believe this will help both of you survive this storm.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Prince Schneizel. I can't say for sure, but I do know that we've had many discussions about this,” Suzaku replied adroitly.

Lelouch did not look at his partner as he stared at nothing in particular. He had all but signed their lives away to the royal family. The politics, the machinations, all of it...just for selfish wants and needs.

“We don't expect transfers to start until February to give Hydra Corinthian time to return from the European leg of the tour and for the news cycle to clear the week for anything that may happen. Expect the announcement then as well as the public details of Lima. If a kaiju attacks, then we will hold off and announce after.”

He nodded, still not staring at his older half-brother.

“The packets you're being sent will have all the information including the new enemy we face besides the kaiju. Communicate with me directly until we've made the announcements. You will have time to talk to the other Senior Rangers – the First Class – and the Marshals after that to pool your resources.” Schneizel's breath hitched for a moment. “Lelouch...”

“Yes?”

“Look at me,” his brother asked and he lifted his eyes up to see Schneizel staring at him with something akin to sympathy.

“I know you really didn't want to return. But think of it this way...I don't want to risk losing you again. Not after what happened to Marianne or to Nunnally. You are my favorite of all of my siblings. In that, I am very grateful that Ranger Kururugi is there to be your Knight, to protect you and face the world with you. I couldn't have asked for a finer soldier or man than he to protect that which I love dearly.”

Lelouch grimaced, trying to make it look like a smile, but failing. He settled for shaking his head. “You're too sentimental.”

Schneizel merely laughed before disconnecting the line.

They were left with a blank screen and steady lights of the war room. Lelouch took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he settled his knuckles onto the war table, almost holding himself up. He heard Suzaku shift beside him as a gentle warmth bloomed across their bond along with affirmation.

“I trust you, Lelouch...” Suzaku murmured.

Lelouch dropped his head and nodded, letting his hair hang over his face, obscuring part of it. He took another deep breath and let it out slowly before allowing the small victorious smirk to appear on the corner of his lips.

He had Schneizel right where he wanted him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opening - ONE OK ROCK - "The Way Back"  
> Ending - Bana - "Half Pain" (Witch Hunter Robin Ending)


	17. The Cultists Arc - Part II

Schneizel was true to his word and the two of them received special dispensation, access codes and a promotion to Senior Ranger status. The change was only listed in the PPDC database, the formal announcement to be made mid-week at the start of February.

They wasted no time in reading up the information, learning about the growing threat of the kaiju cultists. It was as the Gages had said – local intelligence indicated that the Lima Shatterdome was the target of terrorism. While the investigation was still on-going, they learned that the Knight of Ten had been recalled and Cornelia and Guilford had been sent to investigate.

There was a lot of information collected on supposed cultist activities in the various Shatterdomes, the Knights of Two putting together reports about possible activity in Anchorage. Sergio D'Onofrio covered Kodiak Island, but his reports didn't amount to much activity. Oddly, Anchorage didn't have much either, and the twins speculated it was probably because of the local hometown Rangers, the Beckets as well as the strong presence of three Jaeger teams and their support personnel providing a bulk of the income to the city of two million.

Money was an interesting factor and Lelouch flagged it as something to follow up on as he and Suzaku slowly read the other reports. They kept their readings to later in the evening or after their morning Kwoon sessions as to not arouse the curiosity of the others.

Marshal Kennedy ordered the two of them to stay indoors and not go outside unless they were either running drills in their Jaeger with their team or practicing in a Knightmare. It suited Lelouch fine, but Suzaku seemed a little depressed with the confinement. His partner took out his frustration in the Kwoon, mostly in the bushido forms, but the first two days Lelouch had bore the brunt of his partner's frustration until Amanda O'Neill of Romeo Blue had come in the third day and proceeded to help wear Suzaku's restlessness out.

Lelouch thought no one could possibly match Suzaku – Kallen coming close – until he saw Amanda keep up with him, not even bothering to correct some of the messier forms and allowing him to just, quite literally, attempt to beat her up. It had ended with Suzaku utterly exhausted instead of his usual refreshed state after morning calisthenics. Amanda came out with some bruises, but she merely threw a salute at them and left the Kwoon without even a single word.

The next day, it was Trevin who challenged Suzaku in the early morning Kwoon. Lelouch sat next to Bruce, in utter awe at how _fast_ and nimble the other man was. He moved similarly to how he piloted his Knightmare, fearless and willing to get right into it.

“Leila Breisgau was the best of all of us in the First Class,” Bruce murmured as he watched his brother face off against Suzaku again and again. “We were all combat trained, had to be in the military, but she took it to another level. Suzaku's almost as good as her. Trev's having trouble even though he's not showing it.”

“Twin thing?” Lelouch asked.

“Yeah,” the quieter of the twins folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the bleachers. “Amanda's been telling him stories since yesterday's fight. She was pretty happy about it.”

“She got bruises.”

“Yeah, well...that's her...thing, I guess, don't ask,” Bruce shook his head. “To her, they're a badge of honor for a well-fought fight.”

Lelouch glanced at him for a long moment. His mind flitted to the accidental private moment he had caught between the two before they left for Lima on New Years Eve. He did not need to think hard that there was perhaps a complicated story between Bruce and Amanda. “You going to join in?”

Bruce shook his head. “Not my cup of tea. I'll do the whole close quarter combat thing if push comes to shove, but usually results in RABITs for myself and Trev.”

Lelouch blinked, surprised. What could possibly create RABITs that Bruce would refuse to engage in even a Kwoon spar?

“Remember that story about me being trapped in my Knightmare that Trev told you guys before Term 2 break?”

“Bruce, you don't-”

“You've got that gleam in your eye Princeling,” Bruce glanced at him with an eyebrow raised, his lips pulled in a crooked smile. “I would hope by now we've earned your trust. You've certainly earned ours and just now – that thing about not wanting to know – it's nice to know and appreciate that there are still people in Britannia that don't want to pry unless absolutely necessary.”

“Everyone's entitled to their own secrets,” he shrugged.

“See, that's the funny thing about you, Lelouch. You're a walking contradiction. You want to know, but you also are okay with not knowing until absolutely necessary or you find someway of knowing through other means. But once you know, you keep it close to you, guarding it. You only use your knowledge you've gained in a manner that doesn't beget frivolity or some form of advancement unless it benefits you or an ally or even a friend.”

“Thanks...I think,” Lelouch didn't know what to make of the assessment.

Bruce merely shrugged and gestured towards where Trevin was rolling out of one of Suzaku's pins, a laugh on his face. “Trev and I are snipers. We really didn't think much of close quarter combat. But we were able to use the basic Knightmare combat form if necessary. I got trapped because I wasn't good enough to free myself. Watched as my spotter died saving me before Trev took out the enemy. Igraine Malisse was her name.” There was a sad smile on her face. “Amanda's best friend and Trevin's fiancee.”

“Your spotter?”

“Rules and regulations in the Knightmare Corp, no fraternizing with subordinates – not that it stopped the nobles from doing it or probably doing with their subordinates, but we weren't nobility. We figured it was just a noble thing. Spotters and sniper pairs work together, but spotters are usually subordinate to the sniper since they're the ones providing information and we're pulling the triggers. They also separated us into different units. Tried to station us in different places too to prevent the whole Sullivan family thing.”

“I know about that one,” Lelouch nodded. Roughly seventy years ago, there was a war that Britannia had been fighting where a ship had been destroyed. Not uncommon, but it had two brothers in it with the last name of Sullivan. A few hours later, in a different theatre of war, another brother named Sullivan had died operating as an infantryman. The war department had scrambled then as someone put together two and two realizing that there was one more Sullivan to save that was fighting in Britannia's war.

They had been too late. The last Sullivan brother died a rather ignominious death – malarial fever contracted a week prior in the tropical lands suppressing rebel forces in what should have been a peacekeeping role.

“Just so happen we found our units serving along side each other. We let the bigwigs know, but couldn't do anything since we were getting pushed by the Europeans then so they hoped for the best. Igraine died and I almost got killed.”

“Why accept the rank of a Round then? You know they are the Emperor's right hands...”

“Knightmare combat isn't bad. It's the Kwoon that's the problem,” Bruce gestured with his chin towards where Suzaku and Trevin continued their spar. Trevin was definitely faltering now, sweat pouring down his face as his chest heaved against his sweat-stained tee-shirt. Suzaku looked the same, but Lelouch recognized the glint in his partner's eyes that he wasn't as winded as he was looking like. The two clashed and rolled into pins and out of it before springing back.

“Pins,” Lelouch observed.

“Yep,” Bruce nodded. “Debris or getting pinned is a big factor. The Psych Analysts call it a hidden trigger. Took Trev and I a while to figure it out which is also why we had bad RABITs at least four times when we were learning how to Drift.”

“It's why Romeo Blue is sniper-based,” Lelouch murmured as he glanced back and forth between the twins. “Limited hand to hand combat capabilities, but there if you need it.”

Bruce nodded silently as he sighed. “How's your other half holding up with this social mess?”

“How do you think?” The two of them winced as Suzaku got Trevin pretty hard with a blow, but the Knight of Two merely shrugged it off and advanced forward, knocking Suzaku off of his feet. Lelouch rubbed the back of his own head as he felt the barest twinge of pain there.

Bruce noticed his movement and chuckled quietly. “Listen, Princeling, you think the little bits and pieces of ghost Drifting and feelings between the two of you are bad? You ain't got shit on twins. The way Trev's going, he's going to be a mess of bruises tonight and I have to sleep with feeling that for the couple of days.”

“The two of you must have synced well on your first test.” He watched the fighters.

“Eighty-nine percent, first try,” Bruce smiled before tilting his chin. “Heard you scored eighty-eight with Suzaku there.”

“Yeah,” Lelouch shook his head. He still had no idea why they had scored so high.

Bruce made a small noise of agreement, but didn't ask what should have been a natural follow up. Instead, he pushed himself off of the bleachers and stood up. “Hey, the two of you done beating the living shit out of each other? Your partners here don't exactly _want_ to be feeling your bruises for the next few days. And it's _morning calisthenics_ , not a free-for-all.”

Lelouch didn't stand, but watched as Suzaku stepped back and lower his bo, bowing to Trevin formally as the Knight of Two returned the gesture. Bruce left the bleachers, headed down to talk to his twin and Lelouch merely nodded at Suzaku who set his bo to the side before heading out of the Kwoon and back to their dorms to shower and change. They would meet in the cafeteria later for breakfast.

“You coming?” Trevin called out, as he wiped his face with a towel his brother procured for him.

“Later,” Lelouch called back as the twins shrugged and headed out. The Kwoon was silent after a few minutes, but Lelouch didn't mind. It was nice in a way to relax – much like how Suzaku used running to relax. Here, he was alone with his thoughts and the careful game of chess he was playing in his mind against Schneizel. All he could do was wait for the next move to be made.

* * *

Hydra Corinthian returned from European United the week before February first, both excited and happier than anyone had seen when they left. Many on the base had taken the pilot pair's good mood as the fact that they both had come out as an official couple, but also because their media tour had been a rousing success. Britannia tried to downplay the pairing, but because the media rags were gossiping about Gipsy Danger's pilot pair status, it was hard not to keep social media from offering their congratulations as well as some of the vitriol spilled about a Britannian and European _together_ in that sense.

European United had no ground to stand on as their first attempt to try to establish LaRue as _taming_ her other half had given way to a live public swear-filled rant on the inherent sexism, classism and narcissistic tendencies of the democratic-republican elite. All broadcast on live TV. All without a censor until about two minutes in. The broadcast had been cut short, but apparently someone on the TV crew had filmed the thing in its entirety and social media had a field day with it – especially the young Europeans and Britannians.

LaRue did not even apologize to Lelouch for her 'temper control', merely giving him a smug look as she had walked past him on the second day after returning to the Shatterdome. Lelouch merely acknowledged the grace of his error with a nod of his head. It seemed the two would be all right dealing with any type of fallout.

Simulator drills and planning for Hydra Corinthian were set up for the young team and they started to establish them into a rhythm of sorts. True to Schneizel's word, on February 1st, a memo was sent out to all PPDC personnel regarding Shatterdome assignment changes to be happening in two weeks if there were no kaiju attacks. Gipsy Danger and Hydra Corinthian were assigned with Romeo Blue to Pendragon while Matador Fury, Mammoth Apostle and Vincent Gloucester were moved to Anchorage. Siegfried Kai was assigned to Sydney to help train the new pilots there while Lucky Seven was currently non-active.

No one understood what it meant until Marshal Kennedy clarified that it was for any pilot pair, or single pilot on injury leave or other extenuating circumstances that prevented their actual deployment for kaiju attacks. Lelouch wondered if it was because Gino was part of the investigation team for Lima.

“Public announcement to follow later this afternoon,” Euphie murmured as they sat in the mess hall eating lunch. Her PDA was set next to her plate of spaghetti and meatballs as she absently scrolled through her emails. Lelouch wondered what Schneizel would say about Lima.

“Hey, did you guys see the footnote?” Rivalz sat with them, eating a hamburger. He too was scrolling through the memorandum. “Congrats you two. Promotion to Senior Ranger status!”

“Where?” Euphie furiously scrolled down before she smiled. “Hey...congrats!”

Lelouch merely nodded through his own food while Suzaku returned the congrats with a brief, “Thanks!”

“Why a footnote?” Rivalz wondered as Milly turned away from her lunch to chat with probably her Grandfather judging by the warm affection in her voice. She got up and took a few steps away. Lelouch glanced at his watch – the day was just beginning in Tokyo, Japan.

“Rivalz, you're a little dense,” Shirley glared at the blue-haired man as did Ohgi who sat across from her and next to Rivalz.

“What?” It took Rivalz a few seconds before he realized what she meant and he blushed. The PPDC was attempting to keep their currently very popular Rangers from being over-exposed. “Eh, well, congrats you two, anyways.”

“Thanks,” Lelouch glanced back as Milly hung up on her call and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Got a sec?” She asked and he set his own fork down to follow her.

“So Senior Rangers mean more perks for us as a team, right?” Rivalz continued and Ohgi groaned as Lelouch walked away. However, Euphie and Suzaku both laughed.

Lelouch followed Milly a few paces away from their table near one of the alcoves that led to the deck outside of the mess hall. It was closed for the winter season, several layers of ice already forming on it. A sign declaring that no skating was absolutely allowed was on the deck after a few enterprising Hydra Corinthian team members tried to use it resulting in a couple of fractures and the fastest demerit ever given to any new team posted to a Shatterdome. Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger were not exactly amused, but neither inclined to press the issue. It was a little bit of a trial by fire for Hydra Corinthian as the newest team settled into Shatterdome routines.

The buxom blonde woman started without her normal preamble. “Wanted to let you know that she's doing better now, but she did accidentally cut herself on her arm pretty bad a couple of days ago. No hospital, so no record. Sayoko was able to stitch her up and get her some kaiju-blue approved antibiotics to prevent any infection from settling in. She's chalking it up to her unfamiliar surroundings and being clumsy.”

Milly smiled slightly. “She's settling in now. Classes have been going well and she's even made a couple of new friends. She chats with her old ones from time to time, but Sayoko says she's pretty happy.”

Lelouch let loose the breath he didn't know he had been holding as he nodded. “Thank you,” he replied sincerely. “You didn't-”

“I did,” Milly waved a hand at him. “You've got enough to worry about right now and if it's something we can help make sure you and Suzaku are in the right mindset to pilot Gipsy, then consider it a win.”

“Mindset?”

“Part of our Ranger Protocol training, Lelouch,” she looked at him through her lashes, a bittersweet smile on her lips. Her arms wrapped around the coveralls that she was wearing. “It's different than the ones you got from the Gages in the sense that we unofficially keep an eye on the pilot pairs. Just to gauge moods, observation, nothing more than a simple look at the news to see if anything might be affecting the two of you. You guys are wholly Drift compatible to the point where I don't think we need to do much, but we've all been told stories of how pilot pairs some times lose their sync in weird ways. Just like you're supposed to be kept together after combat, it extends past that.”

She shook her head. “Think of it like checking in with your brains. Making sure they're nurtured and any worries that might crop up is mitigated or brought to your attention so the two of you can work it out. The PPDC has a lot riding on Jaeger pilots. We noticed the Romeo Blue team doing it a lot to Bruce and Trevin. That's why they're so in-the-know and very aware of everything around them.”

“You want us to solve problems?”

“No,” Milly shook her head. “We want you two to be aware of problems that might affect your Drift. Then work them out on your own. You're not here to solve our problems just like we're not here to solve yours. We are here to make sure you and Suzaku are at least aware of aspects that may cause problems in your Drift.”

Lelouch grimaced, uncomfortable with that level of scrutiny. It was bad enough that the media was already harping on them and trying to get them to confirm their labels or at least the hint of a relationship, but for Milly and the others to be _that_ aware? His discomfort at being laid bare must have been evident on his face as Milly smiled kindly.

“What you and Suzaku make of your partnership is yours, Lelouch. We're not going to pry. Ranger Protocols. We just let you know of aspects we think may affect your Drift. In this case, I know for a fact that you're always going to be worried about, you know, and while it may not affect your Drift, it'll be a constant that needs tending to. So consider this a bit of a tending to.”

He stared at her, grateful, but still the creeping sensation of doubt had not gone away. “...What-”

“So, say like you decided one day you had to hots for Shirley-”

Lelouch blanched a little, raising an eyebrow as she smiled.

“Oh come on, Lulu. Shirley's got the biggest crush on you. Don't tell me you haven't seen her blushing every single time you're putting on drivesuits.”

“I hadn't noticed,” he said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. “So say like you decide to basically kiss Shirley or whatever and don't really tell Suzaku about it. If someone gets wind of it, we may let him know, but then we find out that you and Suzaku talked and he's cool with you having an affair or something, then we'd leave it alone. If it ends up being a messy end, yeah, well...then we'd probably have to help deal with the fallout, but that's the general gist of it.”

“You went from kissing to affair pretty quickly,” Lelouch pointed out as he narrowed his eyes at her.

“A girl's gotta dream, Lulu,” Milly's smile was wide.

He sighed in exasperation. “So that's it? Just observations and stuff?”

“Yeah, though with this whole social shitstorm, all of us made a pact to _not_ quite troll it, until what happened with Hydra Corinthian. Their team basically told us that their pilots want to talk to the two of you, probably apologizing, but you've been avoiding them since they've returned?”

“Not for the lack of trying. Just missed opportunities in schedules,” he shook his head. “Marshal Kennedy, not us.”

“Ah, yeah, the Scheduling Marshal. She loves her planning,” Milly shook her head. “I'll pass the word to Hydra and the others on Gipsy to see if there's a break in which we can at least get the two brains together to chat. Maybe Romeo Blue can interfere too.”

Lelouch snorted quietly. He opened his mouth to speak before he twitched and blinked against the sudden overwhelming sensation of _grief_ that surged through his and Suzaku's bond. He turned, the blood draining out of him at the feeling only to see that Suzaku was not at the table. Instead, Lelouch immediately sought out his partner, to see him standing near the darkened windows that led out to the deck, one arm raised holding his phone to his ear.

“Lelouch?”

“Something's wrong,” he murmured absently as he found his feet taking him towards Suzaku. He arrived in a scant few steps and reached out, gently touching his partner on the shoulder.

Suzaku half-turned, and Lelouch was shocked at the sight of tears streaming down his partner's face. The phone was still pressed to his ear, but the next words that came out of his partner's mouth stunned him.

“Kaori Jessop just died...”

* * *

The announcement that was supposed to be a grand affair for Jaegers switching Shatterdomes and the Lima Operation had been postponed that evening. It turned to a more somber announcement of the death of Major Kaori Jessop. An internal memo had come out one hour before Schneizel was set to make the announcement. Memorial protocols were enacted and all PPDC personnel were to wear black armbands for the next week as they mourned the passing of one of their own.

Suzaku and Lelouch learned of Kaori's passing seven hours before the official memo, courtesy of Marshal Tohdoh. The official cause was listed as brain aneurysm possibly due to Pons overload from where Tacit Ronin had taken a critical hit during Ragnarok's attack, but Tohdoh had told them in private that it was because Kaori had developed a highly aggressive form of cancer that metastasized to her blood and bones, ultimately killing her while she had still been in a coma. She had never woken up since that bloody day in December.

Her husband, Duc, was still in a coma, also being treated for cancer, but a less aggressive form. No one knew what to expect if he eventually woke up. Lelouch and Suzaku had both felt the heartache of that particular loss. It reminded them too much of Kallen and Naoto and it was echoed when the rest of the Gipsy Danger team found out through the official memo. The whole team had fallen into a depressive funk.

Romeo Blue had been Tohdoh's next call after telling Suzaku, and the two of them found Bruce and Trevin in the Kwoon with Amanda. Trevin and Amanda were going at it again, but their fight was messy and not coordinated. Bruce was silently sitting, eyes red-rimmed, but with no tears falling down his face. Trevin and Amanda had been far more expressive as they finally broken down in the Kwoon.

Lelouch and Suzaku had sat next to Bruce, offering no comfort except just their presence. They were joined by LaRue and Lanphier as the three Jaeger pilot pairs sat in the near silence, punctuated by the sniffles and tears from Trevin and Amanda.

The funeral was scheduled later that week and while Romeo Blue was given leave to attend, Lelouch and Suzaku had to fight for their leave. It was the first time Lelouch had seen Suzaku go over Marshal Kennedy's head and leverage Tohdoh into giving them authorization to attend. Kennedy had not been happy about it, but being of a more junior Field Marshal to Tohdoh's rank, she grudgingly allowed it.

Since Kaori was one of the first major casualties of active Rangers, her funeral was both a large PPDC affair and a national one too. Her will had asked for a westernized version of a funeral, more than likely wishing to be buried with her husband at the same time. Cameras were trained on all of the important dignitaries like Genbu Kururugi and the Cabinet, Prince Schneizel el Britannia, a handful of the Board members of the PPDC and most of all, the Rangers that had come to pay their respects. Video feeds from Shatterdomes were broadcast showing those who could not physically attend at attention and saluting Kaori's memory as they watched the broadcast. Dress blues and black armbands were for all PPDC personnel on the day of her funeral.

Lelouch knew he would never get used to the sound of _Taps_ – the universal song of a military funeral. It had been played during his mother's burial and it was no different here. The First Class and themselves stood at perfect attention at the passing of her coffin, covered with the flag of Japan, but adored on the sides with the banners of the PPDC. The Gages, Tohdoh and Nagisa were her pall bearers as they buried her in traditional fashion instead of cremating her remains.

When the funeral was over, they visited Duc and Suzaku left a Japanese traditional funeral money envelope – joining hundreds of others – for the unconscious pilot. Dr. Lightcap and her husband Sergio had received all of the visitors to Duc's room with tearful smiles. However, their appearance seemingly set her off again, this time crying a lot harder as she excused herself. They left shortly after and immediately headed to the airport for their flight back. It was the condition Marshal Kennedy had agreed to – they would not stay longer than necessary. The Gages would be returning later in the week, using the time to help Dr. Lightcap and Captain D'Ononfrio settle Kaori's affairs as well as to spend some time by Duc's bedside.

Lelouch and Suzaku arrived back in Alaska and received a very long hug from Euphie before the three of them sat in the empty Kwoon, doing nothing but leaning on each other for support. It was a grim reminder that there was a cost in this war and Kaori Jessop was the first, but not the last to pay for it.

* * *

Even though the official announcement of the first-ever 'musical' Shatterdome had not been made public, all teams were expected to be ready to move by the end of March to their new homes if there was no kaiju attack. Lelouch didn't have much to pack except for the coffee and tea making items so it was easy for him and Suzaku to be ready to go at a moment's notice. He did however, keep the bug diffuser and his mother's _gom jabbar_ on him at all times now. Pendragon Shatterdome was unfamiliar territory and until he had the chance to borrow a bug detector to scan whatever room they were assigned to, he would keep the precious items on him at all times.

So when a knock came at the door to their room and Euphie's voice piped up saying that the teams from Pendragon had just arrived – four days earlier than the move date – Lelouch was at first surprised, but then wondered if an offhand suggestion that he had made to Schneizel a couple of weeks ago was in play.

It had been merely an offhand suggestion in an email to leave Pendragon Shatterdome seemingly vulnerable by moving the teams early, to see if there was a source inside the Shatterdomes that could possibly alert the cultists to strike at what should have been an opportune moment. He had shown Suzaku his suggestion and his partner said he didn't exactly like it, but also admitted that subterfuge like this was not his forte.

The same day that the three Jaeger teams arrived at Anchorage, Schneizel made the changes in Shatterdome assignments public. It had sent Britannian media into a frenzy when they found out who was to be stationed in Pendragon.

Kaori's death had killed a lot of the gossip and speculation about pilot relationships. It seemed the media recognized the crassness of speculation at this juncture due to the death of one member of a pilot pair. However, the announcement of the new Jaegers stationed in Pendragon had revived some of gossip, but it now instead, leaned more towards racial overtones as both Gipsy Danger and Hydra Corinthian pairs were to be stationed at the heart of the Britannian Empire. Lelouch could handle the insidious gossip about Britannia's inherent racism, though he felt a little bad the previous gossip had been at the expense of Kaori's death.

However, what puzzled him was the lack of an announcement regarding Lima and the cultists, which made him think that Schneizel might have taken his suggestion and used it in a way to entrap the cultists without making it public. When nothing materialized after four days, he didn't think much on it as all three former Anchorage teams moved in early March to their new homes at Pendragon.

The Shatterdome was nothing like Lelouch had ever seen.

Opulent could never be a word used in the PPDC. Opulent was for the actual Palace itself, an austere design that screamed power and riches. But Pendragon Shatterdome was...opulent. Unlike the seemingly iron-wrought metals and cold, blue-grey steel of the Anchorage Shatterdome, or the minimalist and aesthetically pleasing curvature of stern steel-grey of Tokyo's Shatterdome, Pendragon Shatterdome was a gleaming white trim with silver-grey metal that gave it grand sweeping look. It was like walking into a different world where one could imagine the Jaegers on display like the grandest art gallery instead of being brutal war machines.

While team Gipsy and Hydra both gaped as they were shown around the Shatterdome by Marshal Haytham Calares; team Blue was the only ones who knew their way around, having been posted to Pendragon for a over a year before moving to Anchorage once construction started. Romeo Blue offered to generously help stash away the gear from the others teams and didn't join the main team leads on their tour of the Shatterdome, but did warn them of Calares' prickly personality.

Both teams learned exactly what that was – it wasn't more so a prickly personality as the fact that the Britannian Duke was used to having all of his orders obeyed no matter what and expected all non-nobility to address him by his noble title instead of Marshal. They also learned that Calares was disdainful, if not outright borderline racist towards the non-Britannians. Team Gipsy got the worse of it, half of their crew Japanese, the other half Britannian. Team Hydra was a little better off, majority of their crew Britannian, but Lelouch did not miss the fact that Calares ignored a lot of the questions the non-Britannians asked during their tour. The questions were only answered if one of the Britannians asked and even then, it was with a lot of the disdain nobility showed non-nobles in an apparent attempt to put them in their place because of ignorance.

Calares acted like they all should have realized how lucky they were to be posted in such grandeur and splendor where the might of the Britannian Empire was on full display. The only time he dropped his haughtiness was whenever Euphie asked her questions and the Duke was utterly supplicant and showed a high amount of deference even though she technically was only a J-Tech Chief. It seemed the man valued Britannian titles over actual PPDC titles.

While Lelouch honestly was in a way, glad that Calares was treating him like a civilian, it didn't mean he was exactly happy with how others on his team were treated – especially Ohgi, Tamaki, and definitely Suzaku. By the end of the tour, he wanted to punch the man in the face. Calares ordered a meeting of all personnel into the hanger bays for a welcoming speech in two hours.

Suzaku muttered to Lelouch as they made their way to their assigned room that it was probably more grandstanding and about Calares' self-importance than an actual speech. Lelouch only laughed at that before they entered their room – thankfully modernized with the same keypad mechanics that was in Tokyo's Shatterdome. Anchorage had keyfobs.

Like everything in Pendragon Shatterdome, the room they were assigned was spacious. A defined area for where the bed, was sectioned off with a small standing divider, the kitchenette and a small table for dining or for work. There was two of everything for the both of them; two dressers, small free-standing closets and two end tables with room to maneuver around the studio-sized room.

“Wow...” Suzaku murmured as they stepped in, taking in the size before he spotted their bags placed on the dining table. There was a note attached to one of the handles and Suzaku picked it up.

Lelouch glanced at his partner as he felt a quick spike of concern before he saw the shorthand for 'silence' and 'bug.' He immediately pulled out his bug diffuser and activated it. The buzz between his teeth made him grimace, but he nodded towards Suzaku. “What's the note say?”

“The Gages found at least four bugs in Hydra Corinthian's pilot rooms, and five in ours.” Suzaku looked alarmed. “They're recommending daily sweeps until they are able to get some necessary tech from the ASEEC. How do you even sweep for a bug?”

“Bug audio pick ups are usually short, but they probably have installed long antennae on them in order for the person on the other end to listen in without having to be near a Shatterdome,” Lelouch explained. “At least that's the hope.”

“...What?”

“Never mind,” Lelouch shook his head, not deigning to alarm his partner further. It was enough that Suzaku was surprised by the bugs, but Lelouch expected it. It was Pendragon, the home of intrigue and shadowy deals. What was to say the Shatterdome was not the same even in the middle of a global war. “Because the audio ranges are so short, they'd be in places like in between the headboard of the bed and mattress or somewhere on the end tables. Another good location would be the dining table. Closet would be ideal, but since cloth can muffle a lot of sounds, it probably won't be a good place.”

Suzaku shook his head. “Why?”

Lelouch looked around the room, eyes narrowing as he took in the light fixtures and the placement of things along the wall. “Probably no cameras. Those are harder to set up and also because it needs constant active power, the battery draw would be shorter and harder to replace. Audio bugs are easier since they are smaller and don't take up much power.”

“Why?” His partner asked again.

“This is Pendragon. Intrigue, juicy gossip, blackmail, anything goes. Pilots aren't apparently immune to this. We probably have some clout and political power or someone just wants some future blackmail material.”

Suzaku had an utterly disgusted expression on his face before it morphed into one of concern. “What about Euphie and the others?”

“Euphie, probably yes. But she's probably already expected it and might have warned the others. The others, maybe, but they may not be as...important in terms of sources of information unlike ourselves.”

“Would the Gages-”

“Probably not,” Lelouch shook his head again. “Too suspicious to be wandering and letting everyone know.”

“But why not? A show that we don't tolerate bugs?”

“It's a political move in the sense that the Gages are Knights. Actively going against the grain of Pendragon politics makes them a lot more vulnerable to the eyes of the Court and of those who spin their intrigue here. They have to play a certain part.”

Suzaku blinked before pursing his lips. “Do we?”

“Hmm?”

“Do we have to play a part?”

Lelouch thought for a moment. “We can if you want?”

“But we don't have to?”

“We're civilians. It's not expected of you, especially since you are Japanese. In fact, they'll probably have their own assumptions about how you would act when alone. But with me, they may expect you to act in a way you've already presented yourself to the media. If you want to act a certain way, I'll let you lead on this.”

Suzaku frowned. “What about you?”

“Listening devices and bugs are commonplace for me. I expected them,” Lelouch shrugged. He saw the expression on his partner's face. “I'm not angry, Suzaku.”

His friend grimaced, a hand curling into a fist. “I want to be. This is just...”

“It's bullshit, but it's an evil that's been common my whole life. The lack of trust or the need for information is what drives Pendragon's currency.”

Suzaku sighed and nodded with some resignation in his posture. He let his hand hand limply at his side and Lelouch turned off the bug diffuser. “Do you think there's more right now?”

“Probably not since the Gages swept it. They probably wouldn't leave the note otherwise.”

“How do they appear?”

Lelouch glanced back at the door and narrowed his eyes. “Give me a few minutes.”

He went to his bag and pulled out his PDA along with a couple of wires he had pilfered from Rivalz's own stash. Rivalz had additional electronic components to help with his work, but his friend also had extra types of wiring and connectors that enabled him to interface with a lot of different systems. Euphie had borrowed a few for her LOCENT station and Lelouch had seen her use them. He had asked Rivalz for a few too, ostensibly for his own purposes.

He walked over and plugged his PDA into the back of the keypad. He activated the program to bring up the keypad's OS and looked through the lines. “Master key combination,” he glanced up at Suzaku who had followed, curious as to what he was doing. Tilting the pad towards his friend, he pointed to a series of numeric codes. “Easy access in case of emergencies, but I'm willing to bet that some of these were already built into the room when it was installed by contractors brought out by whomever wanted to plant these bugs.

“So who would theoretically have access to these?”

“Cleaning staff, Marshal Calares, medical personnel. All mundane, but when in the right hands...” He saw Suzaku nod. Lelouch made a few keystrokes and deleted at least a majority of the combinations, leaving all but one, which was their own. “Don't have a medical emergency?” He added the last part half-joking and saw Suzaku smile mirthlessly in return.

“Won't Calares figure out that we've locked everyone out?”

“He eventually will. But I'm also hoping to somehow find out which combinations belong to medical and trusted cleaning personnel so I can add them back in _before_ he finds out.”

“Lelouch...”

He glanced up at Suzaku. “I'm not planning on hacking in, just asking if Guilford may know of the ones he trusts.”

“Huh?”

“Pilots and support teams move, but Shatterdome base personnel stay mostly the same. Guaranteed this is also probably what Guilford did on behalf of Cornelia when they were posted here.” He unplugged his PDA from the door and brought up a quick email to compose to Guilford. Wording it so that it was rather innocuous enough, he sent it off. Hopefully there would be a reply in the next couple of days before Calares got wind of the change in passcodes and the locking of certain staff members out of the rooms.

The mirthless smile turned into a grimace on Suzaku's face and Lelouch felt a little bit of sympathy. He reached out and gently grabbed his friend's hand, squeezing it. “This is what life is like in Pendragon, Suzaku.”

His friend wordlessly nodded and Lelouch let go of his hand. Standing back up, he headed back to the table and set his PDA down. “Come on, let's unpack. Then go find the others.”

* * *

Calares was either sharper than Lelouch imagined, or he anticipated someone changing the passcode access to their room. It was less than six hours after the changes, during the nominal time where the teams were off shift when he and Suzaku were summoned to the Marshal's office. They stood at attention in front of the Marshal as he stared at them with a critical eye.

“Congratulations, Rangers. You have just set the record for fastest demerits in the history of any Shatterdome. Not even a full day has passed since your arrival and the two of you have already gotten into trouble,” Calares' voice was imperious, staring at them through his sharp, angular nose.

“Sir,” Suzaku started, “may we ask what we have done to earn a demerit?”

Calares' face turned a little red as he slammed a fist down onto his desk, making a few papers and pens jump. “You know damn well what you've done! Don't go playing innocent with me, Ranger! I know your kind.” He spun one of his monitors around, showing a chart of what looked like a series of numbers that was next to another box with just one number in it, clearly the one that showed their own.

“If you admit to your crimes for destroying PPDC property, Ranger, I will be lenient and let your co-pilot off the hook and assign menial punishment just to you,” Calares stared at Suzaku intently.

Lelouch shifted almost imperceptibly, but stopped when he felt the barest negative from his partner through their bond. Suzaku knew what he was doing, that much was for certain. Instead, he studied the screens that were before them, taking in the information.

“Sir, I don't understand-”

Calares frowned. “Don't lie to me,” he gestured roughly to the screens and Lelouch watched his finger move across the screen. “This is the only passcode that works! It is yours.”

“If you would excuse me sir, but I thought that passcodes for rooms were randomly generated for security purposes.” Lelouch had to suppress his amusement at the innocence that Suzaku exuded with his question.

Calares' face turned redder at being caught out. “They are,” he forced through clenched teeth. “And you must have changed it so that only-”

“Sir, we were sent those when we landed earlier today-”

“That doesn't matter! What matters is that no one except yourselves, or rather you can only access your room-”

Lelouch knew it was time for him to step in. “Why would others need access to our rooms?”

Calares looked like he was about to swallow several lemons as he finally acknowledged Lelouch. His mouth was a thin line, making his wide chin look more frog like and he grimaced. “Ranger, what if there was a medical emergency or if the basic cleaning service needed to be performed? Surely these existed in Anchorage-”

“Not with the amount of numbers needed,” Lelouch pointed out. “It seems like an excessive amount of people able to access...” He leaned forward and pretended to squint to read whose room it was that was compared to their own. “Hydra Corinthian's pilots. Huh...imagine that. Seems like an awful lot of people to be concerned about Hydra Corinthian even though they don't have a Jaeger yet.”

If possible, Calares' red face started to turn purple. Lelouch saw him valiantly attempt to suppress his rage as he turned the screen back to himself and angrily typed. “They are in simulations-”

“Which shouldn't produce such a need for various cleaning or medical personnel access yet I would think,” Lelouch pointed out in a mild tone. He could feel the vindictive amusement shared with him through Suzaku as they slowly tore apart Calares' excuse.

“That doesn't matter,” Calares bit out tightly before he glared at them. “Ranger Kururugi! Admit you've tampered with PPDC property and the demerit will be removed from your co-pilot's record! And I will not consider grounding you on the next engagement.”

“That would leave you with one working Jaeger if a kaiju were to attack,” Suzaku's tone was mild, but Calares slammed a fist into his desk again.

“Admit it!”

Suzaku was silent.

Calares breathed out noisily through his nose before snorted. “Fine then,” he glared at the two of them. “If you want to play it this way, the demerits will stay on your records. You will both be grounded and any leave given will be automatically canceled until one of you admits the guilt of tampering with PPDC property.”

Lelouch could feel Suzaku gearing up to ask a question, but shot a warning through their bond and saw the moment pass. Any other words, considering Calares' body language would incite further retaliation and while they both did not care about the demerits, the fact that they were now grounded was the bigger concern.

Calares looked at the two of them, eyes narrowed, trying to see if the sentence handed down was enough to make them crack or admit to guilt. Neither of them said a word. Lelouch saw the moment Calares purse his lips in the apparent failed gamble and instead uncurled a fist and folded it with his hand, resting them on his table.

“One of you installed a military-grade encryption algorithm that prevents me from adding the passcodes back in. Until that is removed, consider you and your team confined to base, including your J-Tech Chief.” The Marshal looked pleased. “It's a pity the Princess will not be able to attend the Court or visit her family in Menra Villa.”

Lelouch wanted to laugh at the absurdity of Calares' threat, but restrained himself. He had a feeling his half-sister did not care for the frivolity of such things, but then again Calares did prove that he was more partial to royals than to anyone else.

Seeing that he was not getting any reaction, Calares snorted again and waved a disgusted hand at them. “Dismissed.”

They straightened, saluted and left the Marshal's office. Even before the door closed behind them, Lelouch pulled at his collar – to talk in the attic – and the two of them headed to the elevators. It immediately took them to the highest floor of the Shatterdome where they found the stairwell and ascended two more flights to exit to the rooftop. A strong cold wind blew by and Lelouch automatically raised his arm to shield his face as he and Suzaku made their way from the stairwell to the other side as the gust of wind died down.

“Wow...this is a really pretty view,” Suzaku said and Lelouch nodded as they walked towards the nearest edge of the building. Its bays faced the Excalibur River, but the Shatterdome was high enough to show the distant forms of the skyscrapers of Pendragon City and nearby Pendragon Palace – in its white-gold lit glory – stood.

“We should be free to chat here,” Lelouch glanced around, seeing no high points nearby where an enterprising photographer or signs of camera could be seen. He looked at Suzaku. “Calares is lying about the military grade encryption algorithm,” Lelouch replied. “He's trying to bluff you into confessing.”

“I figured as much,” Suzaku nodded as they leaned against a balustrade that lined the edges of the rooftop. Pendragon in early March, while still a bit cold, was warm enough that Lelouch felt comfortable with just his grey uniform on. The only thing that was a little annoying was the wind that gusted so high up. It sent strands of his hair into his eyes, making it slightly uncomfortable for him to keep brushing it back. “It's the grounding that worries me.”

Lelouch nodded. “Me too,” he agreed. “I don't doubt that if we run this up to Schneizel, it'll be rescinded, but I also don't want him butting into our affairs so much.”

“What would he do if he did find out?” Suzaku asked. Lelouch knew his partner would not complain up, but it was a legitimate question. There was no doubt Calares was going to send out a memo to the team and their status as grounded pilots would be made public so Schneizel would find out one way or another.

“My brother is smart enough to not interfere unless it was truly dire. We don't usually ask for favors like this unless absolutely necessary. Favor for a favor, and not one I'm inclined to pursue with him at the moment,” he replied. “Or unless a kaiju attacks.”

“You think there'll be an attack?”

“Schenizel seems to think so...maybe that's why he's not releasing the Lima information yet,” Lelouch shook his head. “There was no pattern of attack from last year with Ragnarok, Itak and Onibaba all to Tokyo or the Japanese coast. Even with Reckoner's attack there was no pattern. Maybe some one in K-Science figured out something.”

Suzaku nodded absently before they fell into an amicable silence for a few minutes. The breeze ruffled at Lelouch's hair as he absently tucked a few flyaway strands back against his ear. It did no good as another breeze blew it right back.

“Do you think we should warn the Gages, LaRue and Lanphier?”

Lelouch shook his head. “We should warn LaRue and Lanphier, but probably tell them to check their room for bugs each time they leave and come back.”

“That's going to get old real fast for them.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Calares is up to something. I don't know what, but based on what we saw on the screen, he wants some kind of information out of us or even Hydra Corinthian.”

“You think it's to do with the social media situation?” Suzaku asked and Lelouch shrugged.

“I wouldn't put it past him, on first glance, but I think it's probably more targeted to you and to LaRue. Maybe they think they can get information on the Japanese since your father is the Prime Minister. Maybe LaRue has some connections to European United government that they want to exploit.”

“And the Gages?”

Lelouch shook his head. “Considering they've been posted here before, I'm willing to bet that Calares is giving them a longer leash than he is of us. He knows better than to mess with Knights of the Round even though they are technically subordinated to him through PPDC regulations. He could push it, but Calares is a man who fears people in higher authority or have that perception.”

The corner of Suzaku's lips quirked up in a crooked smile as he stared at Lelouch. “And you're not going to exploit your connection to Schneziel like you did with Lohmeyer?”

“Lohmeyer was child's play,” Lelouch did not miss the slight spark of interest in his friend's eyes at the mention. He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to that of his friend. “I intend to play a longer game with Calares,” he finished his words with a light kiss to Suzaku's lips.

It was returned with a gentle peck from his friend as Suzaku wrapped his arms around his neck to rest their foreheads together. Lelouch lifted his own arms to pull Suzaku closer to him, settling them on his hips.

They stood like that for a few minutes, letting the affection and love between them flow back and forth, their heartbeats steady as they let themselves have just a moment's worth of peace. Nothing need to be said that showing any type of affection outside of their room while Calares was still in charge of the Shatterdome would be more than likely fed to the gossip rags. On the rooftop at the moment though, they could be themselves – at least for now. Lelouch did not know how long it would last considering how close they were being watched. He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.

“Are you staying up tonight?” Suzaku asked.

Lelouch nodded, keeping his eyes closed. “I was planning to,” he replied, “why?”

“Can we just...stay like this for a while?”

“You want sex?” Lelouch asked.

“No,” Suzaku's breath huffed a quiet laugh, “just...like this. You and me, cuddling on the bed. No electronics, nothing...”

Lelouch opened his eyes and lifted his head from Suzaku's before planting a gentle kiss where he had leaned against it. “We can.” He did not need to know that his friend was worried even without the feeling flowing into the bond. His keystroke logger program could wait to be installed onto the door lock. His partner's mental health came first, especially in this pit of vipers so close to Pendragon.

“Thanks.”


	18. The Cultists Arc - Part III

News of Gipsy Danger's grounding spread like wildfire across the Shatterdome as well as the PPDC rosters. Suzaku and Lelouch spent breakfast fielding questions from their team as they ate. Some were angry, but most were confused. Yet, all left with a better understanding of what the team expected being posted to Pendragon. It has been Suzaku's idea to kick up a public fuss about their status; partially to see if Calares could be embarrassed enough to make changes, but also to warn their team that their expected privacy in their rooms was not so expected in this particular Shatterdome.

Many of their teammates left after conversing with the intention of checking their rooms for bugs and listening devices, even if they did not know what it looked like.

Lelouch bet that by the end of the day, most would be approaching the Gages and team Romeo Blue for advice since they previously had been posted to Pendragon Shatterdome. From there, the news would only spread. From all of those that they had talked to, many were surprised and then subsequently disgusted that such a thing was happening.

Euphie was the only one on their team to nod in understanding of what they were doing before she said that she would return with something for them. What she brought back was like an offering to the altar as she held out a crude looking device with the smallest wires, electric board and microphone-like device stuck on the end of it.

It was a listening device.

An inactive one, considering she delivered it in a cup of water, but a bug nonetheless. It had been found in Milly's room. Euphie had helped her look and found it underneath the toaster. A risky area considering that listening devices were prone high failure with extreme temperature changes, but a clever spot for one to listen to ambient conversation. Someone had done their research on Milly and knew she liked to cook – more than Lelouch it seemed.

They accepted the inert device with their thanks. Lelouch studied the little thing in the cup, vaguely recognizing its design from somewhere, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it at the moment. Still, he left it in the cup as they were summoned to Marshal Calares' office not even a hour later.

Lelouch knocked and the muffled entered preceded the door sliding open for them. He and Suzaku stepped in, saluting before standing at attention, though Suzaku was holding the cup with the device in it.

“What is that?” Calares did not miss it as he looked up from his computer.

“We were hoping you could help identify it for us, sir,” Lelouch stated as Suzaku placed the cup on Calares' desk. “It was something we found that was quite puzzling as it did not seem to belong on the kitchen appliance it was stuck on.”

Calares sniffed. “Hmm...seems harmless enough, but I will give this to our analysts to study.” He took the cup and set it to the side.

Lelouch nodded once. Calares was aware of what the device was, but was also not stupid enough to fall into such a poorly baited trap. It confirmed to him that he would have to proceed with some care if he were to expose Calares.

“I was hoping to _not_ see the two of you here in such a short amount of time, but it seems that you Rangers have not properly learned the method of respect for authority. I will be filing a formal complaint against Marshal Kennedy for her lax discipline in the time you were in Anchorage,” Calares started with an annoyed sigh. Lelouch could not tell if it was affected or not. “You have earned another demerit for spreading falsified rumors regarding your disciplinary action handed down yesterday-”

“Excuse me, sir,” Lelouch cut in before Suzaku could open his mouth. “How could they be false? All we have said to our team is exactly as the action was laid out.”

Calares glared at them. “You have spread falsehoods regarding bugs or listening devices being implanted in your room and you have accused someone else of changing the codes to your room to input such a device!”

“Sir, forgive my ignorance, but what is a listening device or a bug and why are they needed?” Suzaku asked in his most innocent tone.

Calares did not bother with being red-faced and instead went straight to an ugly purple coloring before he all but exploded. “No! You don't get to play that bullshit with me, Ranger! You know damn well, what this was when you handed it to me!” He took the device out of the cup of water and slammed it onto the desk.

“Ah, so that's a listening device then. Maybe it was good that we did tell our team to be on the look out for such a thing since someone could easily hack into a door with the right codes and get in to implant such things,” Lelouch cut in smoothly.

He was rewarded with the instant drain of purple coloration from Calares' faces followed by the man swiftly sitting back down and staring at them. The man's blue eyes narrowed. “I know what you're doing, you little shits. And I won't fall for it. No way,” he deliberately pressed a button on his desk.

Lelouch tensed, aware that there was a danger lurking nearby and felt his partner do the same. He kept his eye on Calares though, as the man smiled thinly. “Do not think me so easy to dispose of, boy. You are far removed from the protection of the palace and of the royal family.”

Calares' door slid open and four burly-looking MPs barreled in. Without even a single command from the Marshal, they broke into pairs and immediately restrained both of them. Lelouch's instincts screamed for him to fight, but he resisted the urge, knowing that each of their actions after PPDC military police were called could be used against them.

“Suzaku!” He could feel a fury rising in his partner and craned his neck towards him just as he felt his legs being kicked out from underneath him, his arms wrenched behind him before he was unceremoniously slammed into the ground. “Suzaku, don't fight-!” Lelouch's world suddenly exploded into pain as a fist slammed into his jaw and he tasted blood.

He coughed, feeling the fury ignite in Suzaku and turned to see his partner being slammed into the wall and held in place, arms wrenched behind him as the sounds of cuffs being taken out was heard. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the metal gleam off of the overhead lights before they were placed on Suzaku's wrists. A shadow was cast over him and he turned his gaze up towards Calares who was staring down at him with a malevolence in his eyes.

Lelouch felt something step onto his head and indignation washed over him as he realized it was Calares' boot. The pressure on his head increased, pressing him into the ground, a sharp pain running through his lower jaw followed by a bitter metallic taste on his tongue. He realized the blood was from a split lip when one of the MPs had hit him.

“I've always wondered what it would feel like to have my boot grinding into the head of one of you haughty royals. Though you're nothing more than an ex-royal, but one could wish it,” Calares sneered above him. The pressure increased just a hair.

“You and your little Japanese lover come here to _my_ domain and try to dictate how _I_ run things? I think not,” the Duke continued. “I would have thought you'd fallen so far, ex-Prince, but then again, you are a bleeding heart so that you would become a whipping boy to the slave. I'm even willing to bet you're the bottom, aren't you? Taking it from him.”

Lelouch could not suppress the wince of pain. He could hear his bones creak, the pressure to his arms wrenched behind him pulling at the muscles. He heard a muffled grunt and a few attempts at choice words, but could barely see past Calares' shadow and surmised that the MPs holding Suzaku against the wall must have gagged him. Anger roiled through their bond.

“I will not have my authority questioned by the likes of the two of you!” Calares continued. “You will learn to respect the chain of command and obey your betters!”

“Can't be better if you're the one stepping on the heads of those who can actually pilot Jaegers,” Lelouch forced out through his bloodied lips. He grunted as he felt the pressure increase.

“I am the Marshal of this Shatterdome! You will treat me like I am your God! You will obey every single command I tell you! I say jump, you say how high! I say go do this, and you will do it!” Calares' voice pitch changed direction and Lelouch realized he was addressing Suzaku. “You will confess to your crimes, _slave_ , or else I will do far worse to him than this!”

Suzaku's angry muffled protest was summarized in a short bursts of words. Lelouch took some pleasure in the mutual feeling that he shared with his partner. They wouldn't bow to such petty threats. Lelouch was sure now that Calares was hiding something. No response should have been escalated this quickly unless the man was feeling extremely threatened. They had barely arrived and on day two, an assault by MPs who were clearly under the man's pay instead of PPDC...this Shatterdome was utterly corrupt, much like Pendragon and its Court.

“Very well then,” Calares growled out, seeing that he wasn't going to get a satisfactory answer. The pressure suddenly lifted off of Lelouch's head and felt like he could suddenly breathed. He sucked in a greedy breath, his eyes taking stock of what was around him, only to look up to see that Calares' feet was hovering just above him.

He realized what the Duke intended to do and tried to buck the arms off of him-

Just as the door to the Marshal's office was wrenched opened with a hiss of sparks. Calares' shadow moved away as Lelouch saw the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg enter, followed quickly by the Knights of Two, guns drawn.

“Figured something was about to go down, but didn't realize it was this extreme,” Gino's voice was devoid of its usual cheerfulness. Instead, he seemed quite angry.

But it was nothing compared to the Knights of Two. They were a blur of movement and Lelouch immediately felt the grip on his arms and legs lift off of him. He realized he was free as he gingerly picked himself up from the floor and looked around.

Bruce Gage held a gun pointed at the two MPs that had been holding Suzaku down while Trevin held the other two with a similar set stance. The Knight of Three was standing with a gun held by his side, not pointed at Calares. Iinstead, Gino was merely staring at the Duke. Suzaku was shaking his arms out as he half braced himself on the nearby wall. Lelouch absently wiped his bloodied mouth with his sleeve, grimacing at the pain of the movement.

“You okay?” Trevin asked quietly, flicking a concerned look at him.

Lelouch shrugged as he focused on Gino.

“Marshal Duke Haytham Calares, by the authority vested in me from the 98 th  Emperor of Britannia Charles zi Britannia, you are hereby under arrest with charges of corruption.” Gino stepped forward, this time raising the gun to point it at Calares' pale face. “On behalf of the Senior Rangers and by the directive of Second Princess Cornelia li Britannia, you are also under arrest for charges of sedition and espionage in related to the selling of Lima Shatterdome defense plans. You are also charged with the accessory murder of Marshal Mischa Ansley.”

“T-That's preposterous-”

“Lastly, you are charged with the unlawful assault of two _Senior_ Rangers who are a part of this investigation and for obstruction of justice and attempted bribery.” Gino's grin could have been malicious except for the tone of his voice.

Calares gaped like a fish out of water.

“Come quietly or I'd be happy to shoot you here,” Gino's voice was quite cheerful, but belied the slightly sadistic gleam in his eye.

“Three, stop it,” Bruce called out and the gleam died just as suddenly.

“Fine.” The cheeriness was still there, but something seemed different in the Knight as he gestured with his gun for Calares to turn around and present his hands behind him to be cuffed.

“You don't have evidence-”

“Yes we do,” Gino glanced at Lelouch. “Can you hand me that bug, Ranger Lamperouge?”

Lelouch looked towards the desk and saw that the bug that Calares had taken out of the water and set on his desk was glowing slightly. It was also then that he recognized the design – it was built similarly to the ASEEC bug diffusers that had been given him and Suzaku. Which meant it was one of Schneizel's people's creations. He leaned over and grabbed it before toss it to Gino.

“Thanks.” The man replied before presenting it to Calares. “We've got you on tape attempting to coerce and also assaulting these two-”

“Entrapment! I claim entrapment!”

Lelouch snorted, wincing as he lifted his arm to press his sleeve against his lip. The punch really did a number as he could feel it already swelling. “It's not entrapment,” he replied slowly and carefully, mindful of his own wound. “We were summoned by you to answer trumped-up charges. How could we have known going in that you were going to force us to attempt to work as your little spies?”

While he was a little angry that he and Suzaku had apparently been thrown into this particular situation with little to no warning, he was starting to see the benefit and how the argument could be presented in Calares' eventual court martial. Whatever Cornelia was doing in her part of the investigation, he and Suzaku were needed in the sense that of forcing Calares' hand somehow. It was like dangling bait and having the predator snap at it, but Lelouch knew it probably could have been far worse.

“It's his fault! He's the one-”

“You've got no one but to blame but yourself,” Lelouch lowered his arm and glared angrily at Calares. “You showed your hand too fast. You got spooked and you reacted by playing into my sister's plans perfectly. For a Duke, your attempts to navigate the Court is laughable.” He eyed Calares coldly, lifting his chin at the quivering man. “Cornelia is too lenient by sending the Knight of Three to arrest you. You would have died the instant you touched either myself or Suzaku.”

With that, he headed out of Calares' office, Suzaku joining him. Movement out of the corner of his eye showed Suzaku still shaking his arm out. “You okay?” he echoed Trevin's words towards his partner.

“I think it's a minor sprain. You're not feeling it?”

He gestured towards his split lip. “Can't,” he said carefully.

“Infirmary's this way,” Suzaku gestured for him to follow and they headed towards the elevators to take them down to the medical wing.

There they were greeted by Dr. Raina Peralta, who had merely tsked at them before sitting them down and having her staff work on their wounds. Peralta was a competent doctor who did not ask any questions about where they got their injuries, but rather diagnosed them with speed and efficiency that immediately made Lelouch warm up to her, draining some of his anger at Calares.

Suzaku did have a sprain in his arm and was advised to not lift any weights or do any strenuous activities for the next five days as it healed. Lelouch had to receive stitches for his split lip. The stitches would be out in a week or so. He was also given a round of antibiotics for good measure after she had noticed his head had some minor bruising and dirt in it.

“And here's a couple of ice packs for you, Ranger,” Dr. Peralta handed some blue gel-like material over. “For your freezer. Here's an instant one for now to help bring the swelling down. I do not advise talking for the next day or two if you can help it, unless you want a large scar.” She cracked a white packet and wrapped it in a paper towel before placing it on Lelouch's face.

The cheek that felt like it had been inflamed was instantly doused by the coldness of the ice pack doing its work. Lelouch hadn't realized he had sighed in relief until Dr. Peralta chuckled quietly.

“It hurt didn't it?” she murmured and he nodded.

She patted him on the arm. “You'll be right as rain soon enough Ranger.” She handed him two bottles. “Your antibiotics. Take one every eight hours. With food if your stomach feels queasy. The other one are some strong painkillers for tonight if you need them. You should be able to take regular over the counter ones, but just in case.”

“Ranger Kururugi, you tell me if you start feeling any effects. I got your files from Dr. Elund and heard the two of you were one of the unusual cases with some sensitivity outside of the Pons.”

“Yes ma'am,” Suzaku nodded as he held his bandaged arm close to his chest. Lelouch gave her a look.

She smiled in return. “Not that I don't trust you, Ranger Lamperouge, but it's that I don't trust you. Or rather, I don't trust the injured Ranger to report how they're really feeling. It's a profession where one tends to keep to one's self as to not worry others. I trust your partner to do all of the reporting since he or she will be feeling it in the ghost Drift.”

Lelouch tilted his head in silent acknowledgment as Suzaku chuckled. They both liked her; apparently a woman free from the politics that governed Pendragon. She left them alone after that and they headed out of the infirmary, hoping to return to their room, but was met by the Gage twins waiting for them near the elevators.

The lack of a greeting from either one was telling as Trevin gestured for them to follow. “Come on, the two of you at least deserve to know what the hell is going on.”

They headed towards a conference room on the same floor as the infirmary where they found Gino already waiting for them. Trevin gestured for Lelouch and Suzaku to stay off what was the cameras in the room and realized that technically they were not supposed to be there – having not officially been introduced to the others of the Lima Operation.

Lelouch wondered how long that would last now that they were involved.

“He's secured?” Bruce placed a hand on Gino's shoulder as the younger man punched in a series of numbers.

“No way he's escaping any time soon. The guards Guilford identified in the last few weeks as clean are looking after him and the four others,” Gino replied tightly. He looked pained as if something was eating at him.

“You did good, kid,” Bruce clapped him on the shoulder again and squeezed. “It's not easy, but you did good.”

“Yeah, sure as hell doesn't feel like it.” The Knight of Three did not look happy. He glanced over towards the two of them. “Sorry about what went down...”

“Apologize later, Gino, they're waiting,” Bruce urged and the blond-haired man finished with the rest of the numbers.

Lelouch watched as Schneizel, Tohdoh, Cornelia and Leila's faces appeared on the screen. He was curious as to where the others of the First Class was, considering they were all Senior Rangers, but didn't voice his thought.

“Trap sprung, got the bastard,” Gino reported.

Cornelia nodded curtly. “Who?”

“He went after Lelouch and Suzaku. Not Stephanie and Kennedy as you had predicted,” Gino shook his head. “We nearly got caught flat-footed tonight. Didn't expect him to freak out that fast once the teams arrived and he made his move.”

“He didn't go after the two of you?” Cornelia directed her question towards the twins.

“Nope,” Bruce shook his head. “We cleared the bugs, made a show of clearing the rest of our team's bugs and started helping the Hydra Corinthian folks; thought that would attract his attention since he would have expected us to do it, but we think Lelouch's wiping of the key locks might have spurred him into a hasty course of action that made it a little unpredictable.”

Cornelia sighed. “That's my brother for you,” she sounded both proud and resigned. “I should have expected that. I was only thinking Euphie might have done the same instead of remembering that Lelouch still retains a lot of knowledge of the royal family and this being Pendragon... I am sorry. Are they all right?”

Trevin did not look at the two of them sitting just out of camera frame. “Injured. We can include assault charges against Calares and his cohorts.”

“Injured?!” Cornelia's expression was one of alarm. “But Calares-”

“He sold the cultists the plans to the Shatterdome and orchestrated Marshal Ansley's assassination. It's safe to say that he would be pushed to rash measures which would include injuring whomever got on his radar in a bad way. My educated guess is that he was trying to convert Suzaku into an agent by using Lelouch as leverage. That was the general gist we heard on the bug. It's in the transcripts that we'll be sending for you and Schneizel, Princess.”

Cornelia at least looked chastised by Trevin's blunt analysis. She gritted her teeth. “I should have taken care of him before we left-”

“That wouldn't have done anything, Cornelia,” Schneizel shook his head. “In this way, we can cut a deal with him-”

“What?! Are you out of your mind Schneizel?!”

“-And find out what else the cultists are planning,” the Second Prince's eyes were chipped and hard, but he continued as if Cornelia had not protested.

“Sir, I must voice my protest at this course of action,” Tohdoh spoke up. “Calares cannot be allowed to go free-”

“And he will not,” Schneizel arched an eyebrow. “But nonetheless there is a deal to be made with his cooperation. We at least can make a reasonable assumption that his attempted recruitment of Ranger Kururugi means their next target may be the Tokyo Shatterdome or Nagasaki's.”

“Construction is nearly done. Security perimeter has been established with trusted agents vetted by myself and Nagisa,” Tohdoh replied. “A blessing ceremony is supposed to happen with the Prime Minister. It would be an opportunity for the cultists to attack.”

Lelouch did not miss Suzaku's slight start of concern at the possibility.

“Do you think they're going to?” Schneizel pressed.

“No,” it was Leila who answered. “Intelligence suggests that Calares was to be involved in some shape or form so Pendragon was probably the next target. Disabling Calares buys us some time.”

“So removing ourselves to Anchorage threw off their timeline?”

“Probably. Though now they are more than likely attempting to make plans for the three new Jaegers and their teams here. Calares' lack of support or an answer will make them hesitant.”

“You sound sure of that Colonel Briesgau,” Schneizel tented his fingers together.

The smile that Leila gave to the Second Prince was equal parts chilling and amused. “Would it behoove you to attempt to figure out my spy network in Pendragon and Britannia, Second Prince?”

Schneizel to his credit, chuckled lightly. “My apologies, Colonel. I merely suggested it as a jest in that sense. But to be perfectly honest, how sure are you?”

“Calares' response and attack on the two Rangers, is indicative of plans being put into motion. The computers have been recovered?”

“Yes ma'am,” Gino nodded and turned to Schneizel. “Being sent to you, Your Highness, for your ASEEC eggheads to look at.”

“Dr. Asplund is already assigned to it. He's working J-Tech under K-Science and is discreet,” Schenizel replied.

“Leila, if plans were put into motion, can we expect an attack or any sort of retaliation from the personnel who have not been found out as Cultist sympathizers?” Bruce asked.

“Not for the next few days. This was public enough to make the others leery. Hopefully that'll give us some time to analyze the data and come up with another plan of attack.”

“I'll have Asplund liaison with Lelouch and Ranger Kururugi to get them to do some analysis. Good brain work for them,” Schneizel noted something off screen. “We do need to pinpoint their next steps.”

“Prince Schneizel, if I may suggest again that you read the two Senior Rangers fully in, it would be a lot easier to utilize them in their fullest capacity,” Leila did not look too happy.

“Noted.” Schneizel merely shrugged. Lelouch noticed that both Bruce and Trevin had frowns on their faces at his answer – it seemed that the two had more than likely brought it up more than once.

“Your Highness, it is a sound suggestion,” Gino spoke up. “They will not sit quietly after tonight.”

“Noted,” Schneizel replied again.

Gino frowned. “Your Highness-”

“That is enough _Three_ ,” Schnneizel's eyes turned an icy light purple as he glared at Gino. “They are being left out for reasons that are my own and will always _be_ my own. Is that perfectly clear?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Gino straightened, thoroughly chastised. Cornelia merely gave a look to her older brother and Lelouch had a feeling that she was going to give Schneizel a piece of her mind on a separate call. He himself had the urge to yell at both Cornelia and Schneizel for pulling such a stupid stunt, but at the same time, was starting to realize that there was a lot more to this whole Lima Operation than what he and Suzaku had been given.

Perhaps it was advantageous of the three Rounds to let them listen in considering the circumstances.

“If there is anything else?” Schneizel prompted after a few seconds of awkward silence. Heads shook. “No, good. Continue as is until we are able to get some analysis done.”

The lines closed one by one until Gino reached over and shut down their line. He looked irritated as he left the room. Trevin jerked his head towards where Gino had left and Bruce followed, more than likely to talk to the Knight. That left the two of them and the other half of the Knights of Two.

“You two okay?” Trevin stared at them, arms folded across his chest.

“Could have been worse considering the circumstances,” Suzaku answered as he gingerly flexed his bandaged arm. “What do you think set Calares off?”

“The Second Princess had a gambit set up before she left. Tohdoh, myself and Bruce disagreed with it, but she was convinced that because of Hydra Corinthian's popularity right now, Calares would have went after the two of them.” The Knight of Two looked a little uncomfortable.

“We didn't expect him to actually assault Rangers. It's been drilled into every single Marshal and PPDC member that touching Rangers is a big no-no unless it's in the Kwoon. The risk of pilot injury is too great and the blame can be squarely placed on the person that did the injury if they are left unable to pilot a Jaeger. If it was pilot's own error, well, that's easily remedied.”

Lelouch made a small motion with his arm towards his hip, short-hand for 'repeat' and Suzaku nodded. “Even if Cornelia had a gambit set up, it seems like Calares was waiting for something. He was very insistent for me to confess that I changed the locks and not even focusing on Lelouch.”

Trevin's brown eyebrows knitted together. He hummed curiously. “This was before-”

“Yeah. Yesterday's meeting,” Suzaku replied.

“Odd...” the man contemplated the circumstances for a second. “We'll have to let Schneizel and the others listen to the transcripts before we can make any firm decision.”

Suzaku nodded and Lelouch attempted to at the same time, but with his injury and the lack of adrenaline flowing through him, he was starting to feel how achy he was from being both punched and held down onto the ground with Calares' boot grounding into his head. His neck muscles and shoulders hurt and he wanted nothing more than to take one of the painkillers the doctor gave him along with a shower to get rid of the dirt in his hair.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suzaku glance at him for a second, the twitches of a wince on the corner of his mouth as he was also feeling the aches and pains of their ordeal.

Trevin must have noticed something as he lowered his arms and smiled wanly at them. “Sorry about this, guys. We know it's unorthodox to essentially use you and Hydra Corinthian as 'bait' so to speak to line this trap for Calares, but Cornelia insisted-”

“It's fine,” Suzaku interrupted, waving an absent hand at them as they got up and headed towards the door. “In a way, we're glad that we're able to help in some way. I'm more worried that what the two of you and Gino did...is it going to come back on you?”

“This?” Trevin looked surprised. “I'm honestly surprised if the Prince didn't pick up on the fact that we _were_ letting both of you listen in. He's like Lelouch here, very sharp. His answers today were a bit cagey. He's always planning something, but this time it seemed like he knew there was something else going on.”

The Knight shrugged. “No, even if it does blowback on us, we can always chalk it up to our statuses as the Emperor's Knights. Technically not beholden to the royal family's whims and commands unless it's actually from the Emperor. They can try to verify it, but no one really questions the Emperor's Knights unless it's absolutely necessary.”

Lelouch wished he could smile if it wasn't so painful for his face at the moment. He was beginning to understand the Knights of Two a little more – ones who bent the rules to the point where they wouldn't break, but enough to get what they wanted and needed out of said rules. The door slid open to the conference room and they headed out, back to their room.

* * *

True to his word, Lelouch and Suzaku received a request from Dr. Lloyd Asplund of the ASEEC the next day to help with some analysis of Calares' information on his recovered computer. It was hard to pretend he didn't have the necessary information from the meeting the day before, but Calares' emails and documents provided a treasure trove of the man's days as PPDC Marshal and his various activities. He and Suzaku commandeered the war room, securing a direct line to Asplund as they sorted through the information. It was also their first time meeting the man who apparently was one of Schneizel's favorites and had provided the weapon design for Romeo Blue and the Gages' Knightmare frames.

Dr. Asplund was...eccentric to say the least.

More than once, Lelouch wondered if his older half-brother had a habit of taking in certain people with personalities one would have thought to have grated on others. But he let the thought die as it seemed Suzaku quickly befriended Asplund in the scant few hours they were sifting through Calares' computer's folders and emails. Lelouch was quick to sort through the piles, many of them random party invites or deals being made with others of nobility which went into one pile. Another with curious subject lines and short bodies was placed in its own pile. The last one was of PPDC matters, memos, announcements, regular reports. Those went into the last pile to be re-sorted into smaller ones.

Suzaku and Asplund were handling the actual files on Calares' computer, maps, plans, and apparently a folder that contained some porn. That one was quickly discarded by Suzaku with a face of disgust while Asplund had merely looked rather disinterested. It was at least two days of sorting and on the third day, Suzaku and Asplund found and interesting folder hidden on the computer. It was labeled merely as [ _temp_ ] but it contained a treasure trove of a large file that when opened, showed a large tree of sorts with lines connecting pictures and profiles to one another.

Asplund made a high-pitched nasally noise of interest as he adjusted his glasses on the video conference and seemingly leaned closer to the camera to study the file. “Now why would someone who is a Duke have profiles on the royal family?” He asked rhetorically.

“These are notes of the royal family serving in the PPDC and with connections,” Suzaku murmured as they studied the web. He made a motion with his hand on the holographic projection and it zoomed into the profiles showing Schneizel, Cornelia, Lelouch and Euphie. There were four lines connecting all of them together, with plenty of more extending elsewhere along with a few notes.

Lelouch took note of the line between Euphie and Cornelia, marking as exploitable with the notation that Cornelia served as Vincent Gloucester's right hemisphere and Euphie was on Gipsy Danger's J-Tech team. There was a scribble that said [ _Sabotage?_ ] on it. However, next to him and Euphie's lines, it said [ _Do not Attempt Sabotage, J-Tech_ ].

“Who is Cornelia's J-Tech Chief?” Suzaku noticed the same thing.

“The Glaston Knights,” Lelouch said slowly. His stitches still pulled, but the swelling had lessened to the point where he could talk again if he was careful and parsed his words slowly. He was probably going to have a scar at this rate. “Andreas Darlton leads them. He's been Cornelia's Personal Knight since she was a child.” He stared at the text that read [ _Sabotage?_ ] versus the one that said [ _Do not Attempt Sabotage, J-Tech_ ]. “His adopted sons make up the Glaston Knights.”

“I thought Guilford was her Personal Knight?”

“Guilford is subordinate to Darlton. I know he was made her Knight when she joined the military academy,” Lelouch explained.

Suzaku nodded as the three of them studied the notes. “Maybe they were hoping that Euphie could be blamed if Vincent Gloucester was ever posted with us?”

“Seems the likeliest scenario,” Lelouch agreed. “But even Calares questioned it since Cornelia would never believe that her own full-blooded sister would betray her in that fashion.”

“So why would we have it on us?”

“They've probably noted that Euphie is a perfectionist when it comes to Gipsy Danger. And you helping her was more than likely observed.”

“You're saying there are spies watching us? Even in Anchorage?”

Lelouch shrugged. “Just an analysis. Though it does seem likely considering what we know.”

“The best way to get rid of them is to perfect your craft and show it off,” Asplund added nonsensically. “Or just create something that scares your competition off. Though it seems scaring off the kaiju will be harder.”

Suzaku lifted a few fingers and moved the image so that him, Cornelia and Schneizel's images were shown with their lines. The line between Cornelia and Schneizel said [ _Exploit with Care_ ] while between himself and his older half-brother it said [ _??_ ]. His partner touched the two question marks and a small notation opened up.

[ _Status between two Princes indicate contentious relationship. See notes on rare childhood visits to Aires Villa. May be exploitable. Need further intelligence and analysis before proceeding._ ]

Suzaku opened the notation between Cornelia and Schneizel.

[ _Status between Prince and Princess indicates military relationship. Strategist and general. Exploitable with the right pressure and orders. Cornelia known to be Witch of Britannia, reputation of ruthlessness may work for leveraging Prime Minister._ ]

“Calares wasn't trying to leverage you against me,” Suzaku's eyes were narrowed as he studied the words. “He was trying to leverage you against Schneizel...”

Lelouch nodded silently, pride filling him at how Suzaku came to the conclusion. It was an excellent study and analysis. “By forcing you to confess to changing the locks, he would have had blackmail material on you to hang over my head and use me to try to figure out the intelligence gathering part on Schneizel in order to exploit our connection.” He made to purse his lips when his stitches protested the movement a little. Instead he settled for licking it. “It's the most direct way to gather intelligence.”

He studied the question marks some more. “Anything to indicate when the notes were jotted down?”

“Nothing so far. I can try to dig around,” Suzaku replied. “You got a theory?”

“Nothing concrete unless I know the dates. Otherwise, it's pure speculation at this point.”

“What is it?”

Lelouch shook his head. “If I say it now, you'll only just focus on it and try to find something.”

“Lelouch...”

“I'd like to hear it,” Asplund cut in and Lelouch arched an eyebrow at the eccentric glasses-wearing man.

“Fine. Put this in the report then, but make a note that we need to find the dates to correspond. If this note was written right after you and I got promoted to Senior Rangers, it would stand to reason that Calares needed to find out why by whomever was directing him to do so.”

“You don't think he's the mastermind?”

“Hardly,” Lelouch snorted. “Calares is a man with ambition, but no finesse of ideas of his own. His attempts to blunder a blackmailing confession and using brute force along with selling information that _he_ got somehow, indicates he is just a middle man. Someone or more than one person is responsible for pulling the strings.”

He gestured towards the notes. “He or his handlers want to know if we could be exploited to do something about the investigation that Schneizel is apparently conducting against them after Lima. They want to be able to throw him off their trail and would look to use myself or Cornelia to distract him.”

“Clever,” Asplund adjusted his glasses a little. “Very indicative of someone who doesn't want to be seen, but heard.”

“But it's a moot point unless we find out when that note was written. We could probably find a correspondence in the emails or at least coded in his emails, but it would mean nothing without matching it to the note.”

“But...nothing we can do at the moment,” Asplund looked to the side before grinning widely at them. “You're about to-”

The alarms for an impending kaiju attack suddenly blared. “ORANGE ALERT! ORANGE ALERT! Repeat, this is an Orange Alert! Kaiju spotted in the Breach! All hands to their stations, all hands report to stations!”

“-have a kaiju attack...” Asplund finished after the announcement.

Lelouch looked at the scientist. “We'll have to continue this after then. Can you write up what you know for now and send it to Schneizel?”

“Will do! Good luck, Your Highness!” Asplund jauntily and messily saluted before closing the communication before Lelouch could bother correcting him on his form of address.

He and Suzaku quickly collected the information they had spread about the war room and loaded them back onto their PDAs before Lelouch brought up the latest cause of the Orange Alert. The door was unlocked to allow anyone to come in and Lelouch studied the map and the kaiju that K-Watch had named Yamarashi.

“It's mashing two Japanese words together. _Yama arashi_ , a throwing technique in judo that means mountain storm,” Suzaku explained, his distaste evident at how K-Watch was bastardizing the Japanese language to suit kaiju names.

“The images seem to indicate that this thing will be top heavy and very large,” he tossed up the series of images that K-Watch had taken. It was quickly followed by a projection map that made the two of them pause.

“What...”

Lelouch silently echoed his partner's bafflement at the lack of a lines or a cone and instead showed a blob of color from K-Watch extended around the Pacific Ocean for a few hundred miles. He punched the direct line to Euphie, but it was Ohgi who answered. “Ohgi,” he greeted.

“Yeah, we noticed it too. Amanda's on it asking for further instructions,” Ohgi replied. “It's just...sitting there?”

“Are we on the eighteen-hour watches?”

“Just started now, though we can't access certain systems because we're still technically grounded?”

“Shit,” Lelouch had forgotten that Calares had put through the order to ground Gipsy Danger. “You're going to have to fill out an appeal form. We can't touch that.”

They all knew the rules of when a Jaeger was grounded. It was the ultimate form of punishment one could dole out to a Ranger pair. There were procedures that needed to be followed in order to appeal the grounding which was mostly done through the J-Tech Chief since they were supposed to be the neutral party and second-in-command after their technical commanders were relieved of duty.

“I know. I'm already working on it. Euphie's working with Amanda on figuring out the whole Yamarashi projected path thing.”

“Thanks Ohgi,” Suzaku replied as they closed the line and turned back to studying the maps and the images. “This thing...its large.” Suzaku brought up a projection of the estimated weight, displacement and radiation levels. “Category 3...we've now are going into Category 3s?”

“It's a new year,” Lelouch murmured absently as he looked at the images. Suzaku was right, Yamarashi was large. The largest they had ever seen. It was of a lighter coloration than Itak, but not as pale as Ragnarok. It had a conical shape, but there were relatively small shapes that jutted out from its body to indicate some kind of weapon or protection that made it look a little bit like a blunt sea anemone, at least that's what Lelouch thought.

“Offensive mechanism?” Suzaku was also studying the same imagery. “Or defensive?”

Lelouch shook his head. He brought up his own personal calendar and notated the date which Yamarashi had appeared before counting backwards. It was three months to the exact date since December 5 th  , the day Ragnarok had appeared. March 5  th , 2017. But looking at when Itak appeared in September versus when Ragnarok had appeared, it was a shorter timeframe, just under three months. Between Itak and Onibaba, it was four months exact. Nearly six months between Onibaba and Reckoner.

He cursed silently and curled a hand into a fist and thumped it lightly against the table. “Still no pattern,” he shook his head. “It doesn't make sense...”

He flipped back to the pictures, studying the information that was constantly being updated by K-Watch as Yamarashi made appearances in the various buoys. Measurements were updated in small increments, but so far it seemed to hold steady as a Category 3.

It was perhaps an hour later that the intercom in the war room beeped. Suzaku pressed the button to receive it. Euphie's face popped up as did half of Ohgi's though he looked like he was concentrating on something else. “Hey,” she greeted them. “Update on the map. K-Watch is saying that the other buoys in the area haven't marked Yamarashi's passing, which is why it's just a blob at the moment. They don't know where it's going.”

“How-”

“-Could that be, everyone's baffled. Marshal Kennedy's already calling up all of K-Science demanding answers,” Euphie replied.

Lelouch inwardly winced noting that Suzaku did nothing to hide his own wince. They could imagine the hard-headed, blunt Marshal demanding answers from K-Science and more than likely aggravating the hell out of everyone in Anchorage LOCENT.

“Euphie, I need your electronic signature here. Both of us have to sign off-”

“Got it, gimme a sec,” Euphie's face moved off of the camera before she popped back. “All right, we've just sent the form. I'm sending it straight to Schneizel since Calares is arrested at the moment and we don't have a Marshal here.”

“Thanks, Euphie,” Suzaku smiled for a second before his expression turned serious. “How are Hydra Corinthian settling in?”

“Gino's handling most of their questions right now. It's a good thing he's here. The Gages left about twenty minutes ago, but they said they're taking first shift, so we should be off in about...two hours after everyone gets set up here. Maybe four if the authorization for rescinding the grounding is taken away. Shirley can't access the drivesuits and calibrations until that's done so she's currently on standby. Milly, Rivalz and the Jumphawks are fueled, but they don't have authorization to take to the air so they're just running through checks. The engineers are just running through Gipsy's list at the moment. They're authorized to work on the Jaeger, but that's about it.”

Suzaku nodded. There was no need for unnecessary apologies. The two of them had debated the night Calares had been arrested whether or not they should make up an excuse to deflect from what happened. But in the end, decided that the team should know what could potentially happen to them with the prejudices they would be facing, especially from the Japanese, European and non-Britannian nationalities.

LaRue and Lanphier had been livid that they had been assaulted, LaRue wanting nothing more than to go to the brig where Calares was being held and beat him up. Luckily Lanphier had calmed her other half down to mere grumbles and dark looks at the security personnel on-base.

“Princess J-Tech!” Amanda's voice called off screen and Euphie turned slightly before looking back at them.

“Sorry gotta go,” she cut the comm off.

Lelouch turned back to the holographic table and brought up the map showing Yamarashi's projection – or lack thereof. He brought up the latest of the runoff oceanic maps and placed both projections over it, wondering if there was a way to discern where the kaiju was going to hit. “It's not going to hit South Britannia.”

“Why?”

“Unsettled weather patterns,” he replied, bringing up a weather overlay to show a large swatch of clouds indicative of stormy weather churning off shore of the northern South Britannian coastlines. The runoffs in South Britannia were scattered like haphazard motes. “Slight problem for us though, our runoffs are getting pulled that far.”

“They are?”

“Well...shipping lines are being diverted,” he amended.

Suzaku winced. “Do you think it'll pick up on the runoff and make for the coastline here?”

“Maybe...it's only March, so we're just out of rainy season in Pendragon and that created a lot of runoff and mudslides. No recent construction though.” He shook his head again, feeling frustrated again. “Lack of data...”

Suzaku hummed quietly. “Every bit of data we can get with each kaiju that's fought at least gives us more of an advantage.”

Lelouch nodded, a small smile appearing on his lips at the optimism of that statement. It was sobering and serious, but it was a true statement nonetheless. Each kaiju fought gave them more and more data; enabled them to extend the alerts further and start earlier evacuations of the populace. It was just the unpredictability of things like Yamarashi's lack of projected path that made it hard. He sighed and pulled up one of the chairs in the war room, sitting down as he pushed the maps to the side and brought out his PDA.

“Good idea,” Suzaku murmured as he also sat down and brought out his PDA. There was nothing more they could do until the map updated or someone called them about their grounding status. The best thing they could do now was to occupy themselves with continuing to analyze the data on Calares' computer.

* * *

The knock on the door to the war room about two hours later made the two of them glance up from their readings to see it slide open and Schneizel, of all people, standing at the threshold. The two of them automatically got up, straightening as they saluted him – though Lelouch personally felt a little odd to be saluting his older half-brother of all people. It was returned with a brief nod and a gentle smile.

“Lelouch, Ranger Kururugi,” Schneizel stepped in and reached over to shake hands with Suzaku. “It's good to finally meet you in person, Ranger.”

“Sir,” Suzaku murmured as he clasped hands briefly and released it. He looked like he was opting for a formal bow to the Second Prince, but restrained himself.

Schneizel turned, his smile growing a little fonder as he stared at Lelouch. “Lelouch, it's good seeing you after all these years.”

“You're...looking well,” Lelouch stuttered, caught off guard. He did not expect Schneizel to be at the Shatterdome, but then again, the Prime Minister's office was adjacent to Pendragon Palace, so technically he was in the area. It was just the divide between Pendragon and the Shatterdome seemed wide enough that Lelouch did not expect to run into any of his siblings here except for maybe Cornelia.

“As are you all circumstances considered,” Schneizel returned before glancing back and lifting a hand. Beyond him, at the open door, Lelouch saw both Bruce and Trevin bow and leave, more than likely headed to LOCENT or to make their own preparations for the eighteen-hour shifts that were to start. He realized the two Knights had escorted Schneizel to the Shatterdome. The rose-gold hair and blue eyes of Kanon was briefly seen peering in before the door closed. Lelouch suspected Schneizel's assistant would wait outside until summoned or until Schneizel finished in here.

Lelouch studied his brother with a critical eye. Schneizel _was_ looking well. There was a vitality in him that was not present the last time they met and he wondered if it was due to the fact that his half-brother had amassed more power with being the nominal head of the PPDC along with the Board members. He also knew that Schneizel loved the intrigue of the Court, thriving on the gossip and moving his little virtual chess pieces around in order to maneuver around his enemies or the enemies of those he favored like a puppetmaster. Many perceived Schneizel as having the lack of ambition for a higher posting, or even challenging Odyssey for the throne, but Lelouch knew his brother better than that.

Schneizel thrived on the rumors and his presentation of himself was impeccable and hid his desires in a more simplistic view of the world. His older half-brother judged everyone was judged by the same merits no matter the circumstances.

“The Board decided that it would be prudent for me to take temporary command of this Shatterdome until a suitable replacement can be found,” Schneizel continued. “And before you can say anything, Lelouch, I really do not want this command, no matter what you think of me.”

Lelouch gave him a thin smile but nodded in acknowledgment. There was truth in those words and he suspected that being Chairman of the PPDC's Board of Governors, along with being the Ambassador to the UFN and the Prime Mininster of Britannia was enough for anyone without adding the logistical nightmare of running a Shatterdome. “But you'll be putting your own candidate for consideration, right?”

Schneizel chuckled lightly. “Your silver tongue does you credit Lelouch. But for now, because Pendragon is the second oldest of the Shatterdomes and this is an unprecedented situation, there must be someone to lead. I've already tasked the Knight of Three to help with logistical matters regarding deployments. The paperwork your man, Deputy Chief Kaname, submitted has been signed off by me, but the Board must approve it before Gipsy can launch.”

“Why that much red tape?”

“It's the only suitable punishment for Rangers who decide to go rogue. We can't harm them otherwise and the must know the consequences of their action. If there is one thing Calares did right to stymie efforts is to ground the two of you.”

“The easiest way would be to cut through the red tape, but that sends the wrong message to future Rangers, doesn't it?” Suzaku spoke up behind Schneizel and Lelouch was rewarded with the slight widening of surprise from his older half-brother's light purple eyes as he stepped back.

The older man nodded, a small smile curling the corner of his lips. Lelouch had a feeling that Schneizel was surprised by the insight. He wondered how much did his brother truly know about Drifting, even if he probably did read about it and studied the same reports Dr. Lightcap submitted to the Board. He suppose in-person experience trumped everything about scientific papers and theories.

“I will admit, it is a little unusual hearing what could be my brother's words pass through your mouth, Ranger Kururugi. Well done,” Schneizel acknowledged his surprise with a brief nod.

“It could be his own, you know,” Lelouch could not resist the jab at Schneizel's expense.

“It could,” his half-brother did not fall for it and merely acknowledged it with another nod. “I'm not here to debate the merits of ghost Drifting or temporary personality swaps, Lelouch. I've checked in with the Knights of Two and they said they would be taking the first of the eighteen hour shifts which means the two of you should be getting your rest about now, is that correct?”

“You're kicking us out?”

“Merely a suggestion that we are on Orange Alert and we do not know where Yamarashi will head towards for now. Plus, the war room is the only room that I am able to make multiple calls to get the Board to sign off quickly on rescinding the grounding order. Calares' office has not been swept.”

Lelouch nodded. “Then, by your leave, we'll be off shift for six hours. After that, can we talk Lima if there is no change in projection?”

“Calares' part in Lima is part of the whole thing, Lelouch. I've read the two of you in-”

“We still don't have contact with the others and now it seems both the Gages and Gino are aware that we're a part of it, but we're not aware of who else is a part of this. You promised Schneizel.”

“You promised to meet with the Emperor. It was to be this week except for...” Schneizel gestured with a small tilt of his head, “this...”

“Lima.”

“Where you belong.”

Lelouch merely stared at his half-brother for a long moment before shaking his head in mild exasperation before straightening and saluting him. Suzaku followed suit and the two of them headed out of the war room with their PDAs. They passed by Kanon who nodded silently at them before entering the war room at their exit. As they headed towards their room, he felt Suzaku reach out and squeeze his shoulder in reassurance. There was trust there and Lelouch took comfort in it. He still had Schneizel where he wanted him.

But first things first, a kaiju named Yamarashi.


	19. The Cultists Arc - Part IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kaiju battle that happens in here is taken and modified into the CG world from the PR novelization. The subsequent effects suffered by Suzaku after the battle against Yamarashi is heavily inspired by Jocelyn's "Aurora Borealis" and can be considered a "remix" of Chapter 23 of that story.

It took three days for Yamarashi to actually move from the K-Watch buoys that were keeping an eye on it. The first projections placed it on a broad swath from Central Britannia all the way up to Anchorage.

Plans for preliminary deployment were made for two of the three Jaegers at Anchorage. Vincent Gloucester was to potentially cover Vancouver to Seattle. Mammoth Apostle, launched mere days before the Orange Alert was issued, was to cover Anchorage and Kodiak Island. On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, the Tokyo Jaegers were supposed to launch with Coyote Tango support and cover Alaska if Mammoth Apostle needed to back up Vincent Gloucester. Cherno Alpha would cover Sendai to the edges of the Euro-Russian coastlines.

For the Pendragon Jaegers, Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger were on standby to sortie if it made a run towards San Diego or Pendragon. Romeo Blue was on a contingency plan to fly to the Panama Canal to ensure the kaiju did not cross the waterway to the Atlantic.

It took another two days, now for a total of five days since it emerged from the Breach, before the projection lines narrowed further. The new lines indicated the coastal cities of San Diego all the way up to Vancouver.

All three teams in Pendragon as well as those in Anchorage were feeling the long hours of deployment in the five day stretch; eighteen-hour days followed by six hours of sleep along with the nail-biting _wait_ of trying to figure out where Yamarashi was moving towards. Bruce had summed it up during the three-hour overlap period where the three Jaeger teams and their pilot pairs had sat down to brief one another that Yamarashi was a cautious bastard.

It was also by the fifth day, that Lelouch found himself rather sick of eating the protein bars and considered forgoing them just for pure coffee. Suzaku rolled his eyes and dutifully munched on the bars, dunking them in orange juice to make it palatable.

However, it was Euphie who won the metaphoric prize of making the protein bars somewhat edible. She dribbled chocolate syrup on it, inspiring the rest of her J-Tech crew to do so. Towards the end of the fifth day and going on the sixth, all three J-Tech teams in LOCENT passed around chocolate and caramel syrup bottles. Lelouch was a little jealous he didn't think of it first, but he wasn't too broken up by it as he took more pleasure in witnessing Schneizel eating the bars like all personnel were supposed to do.

He knew his brother had a refined palate and seeing Schneizel attempt to disguise his disgust at the tasteless things provided him with an image he would never forget. By the end of day five, even Schneizel had taken to using caramel syrup to give it some flavor. Lelouch went to sleep at the start of the sixth day in a good mood.

It was the fourth hour when the wailing of klaxons blared. “RED ALERT! RED ALERT! New projection! Incoming kaiju to Pendragon! Incoming kaiju Pendragon! This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!”

Lelouch started, eyes snapping open. He felt Suzaku twitch against him as they squinted in the sudden artificial brightness of their room from their PDAs lighting up.

[KAIJU LANDFALL IMMINENT _._ CATEGORY 3, CODENAME: YAMARASHI] He swiped at the alert and sat up, throwing his legs over the side of his bed. His head hurt for a moment at the sudden wake up call. It had been three hours since they had went to bed. The lights suddenly dimmed on and Lelouch winced again, rubbing at his eyes. They felt like sandpaper.

“...Sorry,” Suzaku apologized quietly.

He turned to see his partner rubbing his own eyes before stretching his arms wide. Lelouch got an eyeful of his partner's rippling back muscles before he impulsively leaned forward and gently kissed the area of his partner's neck where his hairline met his spine. Suzaku laughed lightly and reached an absent hand back to caress his cheek.

Lelouch lifted his lips away and turned back, pushing himself up from the bed. He stumbled towards the bathroom, intent on at least showering and waking himself up further.

“Can you start the coffee?” he asked as he closed the door behind him, not even bothering to hear Suzaku's answer. He flipped the shower on, shedding his tee-shirt and boxer shorts before stepping in, letting the lukewarm water wake him up further. He deliberate set the temperature to lukewarm, even though he knew Pendragon could afford hot showers. A hot shower would more than likely send him back to sleep. When he was done, he finished his morning routine and stepped out to the wonderful aroma of coffee.

“How much time do we have?”

“Ten minutes,” Suzaku replied, leaning against the counter, munching on one of the protein bars with a glass of orange juice nearby. He had put on a clean tee-shirt, though his hair was still a little matted on one side and it looked like he had tried to tame it with some water from the sink.

Pilots were supposed to be out of their rooms and headed to the drivesuit ready room in fifteen minutes. It would take another fifteen to twenty minutes for them to get into their drivesuits and another fifteen after that to ascend to their conn-pod, locking it in place and getting the handshake ready. Gipsy Danger would be ready to launch within the hour.

The Gages, who were already on shift, would be deployed first. Because the red alert did not say anything about them being on standby like the Gages had gotten during Ragnarok, they would be deploying immediately after instead of waiting.

Lelouch reached over to grab his PDA from the end table and flicked it on, staring at the latest projection screen. “Ah,” he made a small noise and turned it towards Suzaku as he set the PDA down between the two of them and grabbed his mug of coffee.

He sipped it, accepting the protein bar handed to him. “San Diego through San Francisco now,” he murmured as he saw the cone of projections. Next to it, a series of numbers, slowly ticking up every ten seconds indicated the status of evacuations in the counties between the two major cities. Pendragon was dangerously low, in the single digits.

“Are they hoping that the kaiju will attack elsewhere? They do know that the thing moves right?” Suzaku muttered as he sipped his orange juice.

Lelouch merely snorted and flipped to the latest series of pictures taken by Hawai'i's K-Watch buoys. They were much clearer against the lighter water as the beast headed towards the Britannian coastline. The kaiju was of a greenish coloration and had an elongated head. It had powerful legs, but there wasn't any sign of arms or digits to indicate if there were knife-like claws or clubs like Itak or Ragnarok. There were spiky-looking things protruding from the sides, still unable to be made out what it was, but Lelouch was willing to bet those were defensive mechanisms of sorts.

“Blue will probably happy to test its ordinance on it,” he muttered and Suzaku chuckled quietly as he finished the rest of his food and the orange juice.

Lelouch did the same before closing his PDA out and setting it back onto the end table. The two of them put on the rest of their clothes, the formless coveralls with Gipsy Danger's emblem and name emblazoned on the back, even though they would shortly shed it for the drivesuits.

The team as a whole had been issued the new coveralls as a gift from the twins, a tradition apparently started by the First Class to every single team that had been mentored. There was no particular timing of the gift, but it was something to make them distinctive and proud to wear around. The coveralls were of a faded steel grey-blue, a similar coloration to Gipsy herself.

They headed towards the door and just before they opened it, Suzaku leaned over and kissed Lelouch quickly on the lips, lingering on the scar where it had been split. The stitches had been taken out two days ago, leaving the area still tender, and it tingled a little as their lips met. Lelouch smiled against Suzaku's own as they parted. He tasted the sourness of the orange juice Suzaku had drank just as he knew his partner tasted the bitterness of the coffee in his own. There was nothing to be said as both of them bathed in the waves of affection, excitement and contentment for a moment.

“Let's do this,” he murmured.

“Let's,” was the reply before they headed out of their room.

They were suited up and sitting in the conn-pod about thirty-five minutes later, running through the checklist with Euphie. The handshake was initiated shortly and the two of them were sucked into the world of their headspace, the familiar feelings of anger, the brief pain of Calares slamming one of them against the floor-wall, the affection and love as they shared in wake of the tabloids and gossip of their relationship, the feeling of assured feeling of where they wanted Schneizel at-

“Left hemisphere calibrated,” the on-board computer intoned in a calm voice as they lifted their left hand. “Right hemisphere calibrated,” it said and they raised their right hand. They met their hands together in their traditional pose and let it rest by their sides.

“LOCENT,” Lelouch keyed the comms. “What's the play here?”

A new project map suddenly popped up, the cone narrowing down to Pendragon and San Diego. It was definitely going to hit Catalina Island before it hit Pendragon. Evacuation numbers were hovering at the low nineties for the small island population.

“We're choppering you out to hot drop by the mouth of the Excalibur River. Blue's already by the beach front, waiting for intercept. Vincent Gloucester and Mammoth Apostle are two and half hours out and on their way.”

There was a squeal on the comm lines that made them wince before Romeo Blue's Jumper Prime chimed over.

“Blue Hawk Prime, we've got imagery coming in. This thing just demolished Catalina Island,” the man stated grimly. “We lost a few fishing boats and people who couldn't get to the shelters in time.”

They cursed quietly as they saw the cone narrow further, it was almost assured that Pendragon was the target now. The clanging sounds of the roof opening above them was echoed by the sounds of their Jumphawks readying to lift them out of the bay.

“Blue here, we see the bastard on the scope,” the dual voice of the Gage twins echoed with cold precision. “No shot, but this thing is fucking big and plated.”

The new images taken by Romeo Blue's Jumper Prime showed up on their HUD and Lelouch quickly looked through them as they felt the slight swooping sensation of being lifted out of the bay. Yamarashi was big, ugly and had a dark green coloring skin that bordered on black. Its veins glowed a sickly yellow, probably to turn blue if pierced. It had an elongated curved flat horn-like head with four eyes and a mouth full of teeth underneath the curvature of the head. The little small spike-like things they had seen fuzzily on K-Watch's original images showed that they were in fact, small bony plates of ostroderm, reminding Lelouch greatly of an ancient dinosaur species called an ankylosaurus.

The legs were powerfully huge, clearly made for stomping, running and swimming judging by how fast it had wrecked through Catalina Island. It had smaller frontal appendages, but they too were covered in the curved ostroderm, not quite the scythe-like claws of Itak, but neither was it Ragnarok's clubs.

“Breach, breach!” Amanda's voice suddenly barked.

“Firing now,” the coolly confident voice of the twins came over before a giant boom was heard, even outside of their conn-pod.

They moved the images away from their HUD as the Jumpers pulled them into the air towards the beach in time to see a streak of blue-white light suddenly jettison from the dark steel form of Romeo Blue in the distance before it impacted something in the harbor. A distinctive faint roar of pain was heard both in the comms and outside it.

“Impact, no visible damage, target still moving,” Blue's voice replied. “Switching to concussive rounds.” A few seconds later, four contrails appeared at the small mortar launchers that was on the Jaeger and impacted the area where the blue light had hit the kaiju. Small booms were heard and they saw the beast stagger a little.

“Firing again,” the twins intoned before another streak of blue-white light and a louder roar was heard. “Got him in the eye, little blue, but he's definitely pissed now.” The twins sounded dangerously pleased.

“Blue, Hawk Prime reporting. He's definitely stunned, but you're going to have to use the VARIS mode. Regular rounds having no impact.”

“Asking for authorization,” Amanda's voice immediately chimed in.

“Blue, Gipsy here,” Lelouch keyed the comm. “Where do you need us?”

“Intercept and pin the bastard. We'll keep hitting it with rounds until we get proper authorization for VARIS,” the twins replied as one.

“Roger,” Lelouch let the comm go as they got closer to the kaiju who was slowly recovering. Blackened spots marked the beast's dark coloration where Blue had hit it with its two shots, but it was definitely clear that the kaiju was not bleeding. Burnt, but not bleeding.

“Gipsy Jumper Prime, Milly here, this thing's going to run!” She called out in warning, “Dropping you now!”

“Headed up to the harbor ports-”

“We see it,” they replied as they felt the cables loosen and crouched to absorb the impact of the landing on one of the former parks and roads. It was instantly cratered by their landing, but they sprinted towards the kaiju who was already wrecking the coastal harbor yard.

It took out a large cruise ship named the _Empress Claire_ as it made its way up through Terminal Harbor and the mouth of the Excalibur River. Gipsy leapt over the artificial river's stream with a boost of its jets, swollen from the winter rains, and landed heavily before it chased after the kaiju.

“Charging plasma cannon,” Lelouch called out as they ran at the large beast that was lumbering away. “Horn!”

Suzaku obliged and slammed the button on Gipsy's warning horn. It blared like an incoming beacon, making the kaiju turn towards just as they took the last few steps and they fired the cannon, point blank into the kaiju's stomach. It was knocked back, roars of pain filling their conn-pod and making them wince from the loudness of the sound. They saw it stumble and fall to the ground, the kaiju's stomach blackened, burnt, but little to no blue spilling out of it.

“Fuck,” they cursed, but they took advantage and smashed their other hand into the kaiju's face, making it cry out some more-

“Gipsy move!” Blue's order came over and they shifted away-

Just as a red-line laser scored a shallow hit across the kaiju's neck. It writhed, one of its legs lashing out and they tried to move out of the way, but it was too late. It caught them and sent them reeling, stumbling and they fell to the ground, cargo containers spilling around them.

They reached over and grabbed several into their hands and immediately stood up, catching the kaiju as it tried to also stand up with and one-two hit before smashing the containers into the beast's face as improvised knuckle dusters. They grinned as they saw blood spurt from the mouth and the small laser scored hit made by Blue.

A blue-white light hit the kaiju from Romeo Blue as it fired another round, sending it reeling towards them. They caught the beast as it canted and sent a flying uppercut with their left hand, aided by the elbow rocket that opened the shallow wound on the neck a little more. They were getting somewhere, finally.

“Keep hitting it Gipsy!” Milly's voice came over. “It's definitely doing some damage to that laser wound.”

“Roger,” they replied curtly.

“Blue, authorization for VARIS released!”

“Gipsy you're going to have to pin the bastard and then figure out a way to get out of the shot,” Romeo Blue stated. “VARIS is a railgun. Same one that exploded your Knightmare's arm.”

_Fun_ , the two of them thought as they circled around Yamarashi as it slowly recovered. They cast their eyes around the dock to see if there was anything of use...and spotted the perfect weapon immediately. A large cargo crane with wires dangling off of it. _Perfect_ , they thought as they immediately took a few steps over and ripped the thing off of its moorings.

“Hang on, we're going to garrote the fucking bastard.” They said as Yamarashi roared at them and charged, thinking they were now the ones to escape. “Score him on the laser wound. It's the only point of entry we have.”

“Blue acknowledges.” Two concussive shots, impacted the back of the kaiju and sent it off balance once more and stumbling towards them.

Gipsy Danger twisted around the kaiju, straightening the crane's wire around their hands, the sharp metal biting into their own. Ignoring the pain of the feedback from the feeling, they spun out of the way of the kaiju's claws and looped it around the neck before they _pulled_ , sending themselves to the ground and rolling to the side, hoping that they had gotten it around the small laser wound as an entry point-

“Fuck!” They yelled as they felt one of the kaiju's large legs smash on their left one. Something crunched, and Suzaku screamed, the feedback of their leg being destroyed sending rivets of pain.

“You got it! You got it! Hang in there Gipsy!” Euphie and Milly's voice both called out.

“Gipsy Prime Spot, Blue, take the shot! Take the shot!” Rivalz's voice was barely heard over the sounds of alarms that started to blare in their conn-pod. They could feel their right arm starting to slip, their left hanging on with a ferocity that belied the pain of their injured leg-

“Reversing polarity of the elbow rocket!” Lelouch called out as he quickly made the calculations and changes in the elbow rocket's situational direction. He fired the thing and got leverage-

“Firing now!” Blue's voices could barely be heard over the continuous roars of the kaiju as it writhed over them, trying to find pieces to smash against them as it laid half on top of them. They could feel the bony plates and arms smashing against them. They continued to pull, heedless of the structural integrity of their Jaeger as they held on.

The garrote suddenly got easier as the wind was knocked out of them by the impact of the VARIS round. They slammed into the ground, harnesses flying back against the conn-pod. Something cracked, pain crawling up their left chest and they coughed. But they kept holding on as they yelled, pulling, _pulling_ , the garrote had to work-

They were slammed back into the harness once more as another VARIS round impacted the kaiju. The belated thought that the rounds were more than likely going through them crashed through their heads, but they knew they couldn't let go. Something burned around them and they knew it was the blue blood of the kaiju, the only sign that they knew that it was working. They ignored the tears of pain streamed down their faces at how _hurt_ they were, but they kept holding on-

Lelouch screamed, his right arm suddenly burning with an incredible pain as he heard the distinct sound of something exploding- _The arm!_ Reversing the polarity had made the experimental rocket elbow lose its integrity and disintegrate completely. He gasped as he hunched into himself, trying to push past the hazy pain-

“Kaiju dead! Kaiju signature is gone!” Euphie's voice crackled over the comms and they blinked.

“ _Warning: conn-pod structural failure eminent_ ,” the cool voice of their pod's computer intoned through the alarms.

“Gipsy! Get into the water! You've got blue all over you!” Romeo Blue's voice barked.

They responded, letting go of the wire and immediately tried to roll as best as they could from under the dead weight of the kaiju and slipped messily into the harbor's water. It cooled and soothed the burning, hissing blue from them as they tried to roll it off of all of them. Their left leg hurt, their right arm was dead, but nothing else mattered except for getting the blue off of them. They heaved heavy breaths, the adrenaline fading as they gingerly sat in the water, letting it pool to their waist.

Glancing over to their left, they blinked. The dark green carcass of Yamarashi laid there, the crane's wire wrapped neatly around its neck, a large neat hole made bigger by the VARIS round. Two of its four eyes were missing along with a chunk of the back of its head – where the second VARIS round must have hit.

“Gipsy, Lelouch, Suzaku are you guys okay?” One of the twins asked over the comms.

“ _Warning: Left hemisphere O2 line compromised_ ,” their pod's computer intoned just as they smelled it. The first smells of kaiju blue that had been drilled into them during the days of the Academy. It was acrid and sulfuric, like rotten eggs gone extremely bad, burning their nose hairs and making their eyes water.

_Shit_ , they thought as Lelouch turned to see Suzaku's green eyes blinking widely at him. Not even a second later, Suzaku's hands were a blur of motion, the sudden feeling of loss and of not-quite there as his partner ended the handshake. They...no, Lelouch blinked, the feeling alien, not quite foreign, but not quite the post-combat feel. He could feel himself trying not to panic, but it was hard as he felt his heart hammering in his chest.

Blue. Kaiju blue. Suzaku's O2 line was compromised.

Someone was yelling; Euphie he thought distantly, but he couldn't quite make out the words. Breathe in, breathe out, calm. They had to stay calm. It was drilled into them. The more they panicked, the more the blue would get into their lungs...

He watched, hazy with pain, dazed as Suzaku popped out of his rig, landing awkwardly and heavily onto the flooring before limping over to where the emergency portables were stored in the conn-pod. As he disappeared out of his vision, Lelouch tried to reach over to their bond, trying to twist-

Only to cry out in pain as his injured arm and injured leg- No, Suzaku had injured his leg-yet it had felt like he had too-

Where was Suzaku? He suddenly couldn't see him- But he could feel him-

Blue. Kaiju blue. Like Nunnally.

_Oh God...no_ , the despairing thought echoed in him and all he could see was his sister, Suzaku, both of them lying on the ground, mother's Knightmare pierced through with a broken claw. Kaiju blue had-

“Gipsy! What's going on?!” Euphie's voice was a little frantic. “We're reading your O2 disconnected Suzaku-”

“LOCENT, Suzaku here,” Lelouch shuddered at hearing his friend's voice. He was here, he was here... _he was here_. But he had kaiju blue in him- “I'm on the portable. O2 line got hit with blue from the attack. However, I think I breathed a little in. It's coming out of my breath.”

Lelouch felt his heart seize. _Calm, calm, calm_ , the thought ran through his head, through the bond- But he couldn't stay calm. He twisted, trying to fight through the restraints, pounding the button to release him, because he _needed_ to see that Suzaku was all right. That his partner, lover, his best friend was _all right_ , he couldn't stay in this blasted thing-

He had the impression that he was all right, but panic, fear mingled with growing horror was overtaking him now. He _needed_ to be there, to make sure, to touch him that he was _real_ . He had to be. It was the only way. No one else knew him like he knew his friend. Kaiju blue. _Oh dear God._ How could it be kaiju blue of all things?!

“Shit, Lelouch is spiking, he's definitely panicking-”

“Lelouch, you need to _calm down_ -”

“This is Gipsy Prime, we're medivacing you out-”

“Blue here, what can we do?”

The Gages. They would be able to-

“Stand back Romeo Blue, we're going to get them out, though if Suzaku does have blue in him-”

“Make sure you take Lelouch with you. Pilots _have_ to stay together, especially during injury. No matter what. He's probably going into Drift Shock with the injuries,” one of the twins said.

“Gipsy LOCENT here, Dr. Peralta has been alerted,” Euphie's voice was calm, soothing and Lelouch clung to it like a lifeline trying to ride the pounding waves of fear with each breath he took. Euphie knew his fear, she knew what kaiju blue meant. He couldn't let Suzaku die. Not like this...not after everything. He loved him, he couldn't lose him to the blue. Not like he lost his mother, not like he lost everything. He was drowning and there wasn't a lifeline, he couldn't hang on-

“Keep talking Euphie, hopefully that'll calm him,” someone said and he looked around, wondering why would they say that.

“Lelouch, listen to me,” Euphie's voice came over again. “Suzaku's all right. He'll be all right-”

He shook his head. Suzaku was _not_ all right. It was fucking kaiju blue! It was the same thing that took Nunnally! It was what took all those people, it was a death sentence! He couldn't see him. Why couldn't they understand that? He _needed_ to see him, needed to be with him, to touch him, to hold him, to make sure he was all right because he wasn't able to save Nunnally- He loved him, had to tell him that because there was a chance the blue would take him away-

“He's going to be fine, Lelouch,” Euphie's voice came over again and he shook his head, pulling against the rig that held him fast. He pressed the button to release himself several times, cursing and grunting when it wouldn't come loose. He cursed, loudly, screaming his rage as he wanted to get free-

A wash of light suddenly engulfed the conn-pod from behind and he twisted, pulling at his injured arm and leg to try to see what's going on. He could feel several people suddenly touching him and tried to throw them off-

“Whoa, whoa, Lelouch it's just us, just us...” Rivalz's voice echoed close in his ear and he turned, to look down to see his friend with a mask over his face, fiddling with the control panel next to him.

“It doesn't work,” he half mumbled as he felt others-

There was a crunching sound and Lelouch suddenly found himself free of the rig, landing heavily and wincing in pain as his left leg gave out from the pain that was echoing oddly around him. It was like he had broken it, but it didn't feel broken and instead felt whole. He stumbled, dizziness, pain, panic, all a swirl of emotion around him. He couldn't see Suzaku-

“Shit...he's definitely got it bad,” he thought he heard Rivalz mutter. “LOCENT, message the doc, Lelouch is definitely in a bad ghost Drift- Whoa, _whoa_!”

Lelouch had lunged, then stumbled and nearly crashed as he thought he felt the surge of Suzaku just _right there_ , yet he touched air. He needed to make sure his partner was safe, he had _inhaled_ kaiju blue! There needed to be a cure, he couldn't let him- He had to stay with him- He had to make sure Suzaku was _safe_ and trusted no one else to tell him that. He had to see for himself that everything was...

“It's gonna be fine, Lelouch, it's gonna be fine, come on...”

Lelouch came into himself for a moment, blinking owlishly at Rivalz's helmeted head with strands of blue hair sticking out, just as he felt someone half carry him, half walk him to the conn-pod's entrance and then he saw _him_. Something in him snapped and he surged forward to a cacophony of voices, several voices shouting, incomprehension, the flare of pain along his injured arm, his leg stumbling as it had been crushed, as they felt it crushed-

Then just as suddenly, he felt Suzaku's hand in his own, the emerald green eyes staring into his own purple ones behind the haze of the oxygen mask, a calmness that washed over his own panicked state like a gentle wave washing over the roughness of the raw mental feelings he had – they prickled too sharp, the bond too tightly painful. All Lelouch could do was kneel down next to his best friend and partner and stare, unadulterated terror filling him. He saw nothing except for the blue exhaling from Suzaku's lungs with each breath he let out.

_I'm okay_...the stray thought passed through their bond.

It was the last straw for Lelouch as he lost whatever composure he had and cried, clutching at Suzaku's hand. _I'm okay...I'm okay...I'm okay..._

* * *

“...should probably get him to a shower...”

“He's going to fight like the last time they tried to cut them out of the suits, you remember? Shirley nearly got a black eye, and I don't think...”

“Shh...not so loud...he can still hear us, you know?”

“Sorry Euphie. We don't want to make him feel any guiltier...”

“But he needs to shower, all of the contaminants, his burn and the doc wants to look at his leg-”

The voices faded for a second, footsteps and a heavy sigh following a gruff voice that was vaguely familiar saying, “We got this...just, be ready, okay?”

Then the voices faded, and for a moment Lelouch thought they had gone away until a strong, heavy hand landed on his shoulder, making him blink once, twice before a shadow knelt down next to him. He turned his dull purple eyes onto the soft brown gaze of Trevin Gage. His mind distantly registered the cornflower blues of Euphie next to Trevin's and somehow a part of him wanted to rebel at how _close_ they were, but somehow it didn't matter...did it?

A faint smile quirked up the corner Trevin's lips. “Still here with us, Ranger?” the Knight of Two's voice was somewhat amused.

He stared dully into the brown eyes before looking to turn away. He didn't _care_ anymore. Suzaku was the only thing that mattered. He had to make sure that his partner survived. That _he_ survived. The bond was heavy between them, weighted down by the rasp and agony of trying to breathe. Why couldn't the drugs work faster? Why couldn't they clear the lungs? It was fucking kaiju blue for crying out loud! Suzaku had breathed it in and his whole world had shattered. How could he, how could they have been stupid? He couldn't lose Suzaku, not after everything. He didn't want to be left behind like Kallen or even Duc. He couldn't trust anyone else to make sure he was going to be all right until he saw it himself – saw Suzaku breathe on his own again- That the blue wasn't going to eventually kill him-

He started as he felt the heavy hand on his shoulder squeeze once and blinked, staring back at the brown and blue eyes that looked at him. “Ranger...Lelouch, you need to at least get clean? All right? You're still in your drivesuit...you need to get checked out-”

“No,” his voice cracked on the word, his throat still raw and he coughed as it felt incredibly dry and scratchy before he felt the faint echo of pain rebound across his bond. He winced. He couldn't cough...he couldn't...Suzaku was lying there, eyes half-open, emerald green filled with pain as he breathed out more blue into the line that took it away, oxygen and anti-toxins flowing into the mask that was trying to clear his lungs of the blue for him. Lelouch realized _he_ was causing his partner pain- _Oh God...how could I-_

_I'm okay...don't worry...please don't worry..._

“Lelouch,” Euphie's blue eyes, so much like Nunnally's... Something in her gaze softened and he realized he had mumbled his last thoughts on her eyes and Nunnally's. Even Trevin was staring at him with some sympathy. “You need to get out of that drivesuit. You need to get cleaned up. Suzaku's been on the anti-toxins that the blue's clearing? See...then they're going to start him on the antibiotics and you need to be clean before that...otherwise you may get him sicker-”

He seized at her words and stared, eyes wide with fear at her, but she was relentless. “You don't want to get him any sicker right? This is how it was with Nunnally, right? They didn't let you into see her until you were completely clean-”

That was right. They didn't even let him in to sit by her bedside after they weren't sure what was happening with her. He had to decontaminate in a clean room, scrub himself to the point where he felt so raw before he could even sit with her. Maybe that was why the Emperor never visited... Not even after that other time. Someone had tried to kill the people he loved. And he had been powerless to do anything. Someone – the kaiju – tried to kill the man he loved...and he had been powerless to do anything. He had begged the Emperor to visit, to at least acknowledge that he had power- that he could do _something_. “He...never visited...” he mumbled. “I...asked...I...begged him to...”

“And you don't need to ask me, Lelouch. Never. I'll sit with Suzaku while you get cleaned up okay? I'll be here for you. You need to get clean, then you can sit with him some more, okay? No one will bother you after...but we want to make sure he gets better.”

He blinked some more as he felt a gentle tug on his shoulder and looked at the hand that was still gripping him. Oh, right...it belonged to Trevin's. He looked at the Knight of Two to see the brown eyes staring back at him solemnly. “We'll get you back to his side soon enough, Lelouch...trust me.”

“ _Trust me,” the Knight of Two's smile was kind, friendly. Lelouch stared at the hand extended to him with some suspicion. He had no reason to trust the Knight before him, but this was one of his_ Father's _Knights. Plus, Sir Kavan Lorne was not the Knight of Two for nothing. One of the Emperor's best, second only to Bismarck Waldstein, the Knight of One._

_The man had an unusual reputation – a technical pacifist, but when push came to shove, he struck with a single decisive blow with whatever weapon he had on hand; be it his ever present sword, his favored handgun, or even with his own body. He was not a skilled Knightmare pilot either, but rather found the single weakness that he was able to exploit to make his Ector deadly on any battlefield. He was known as the Scythe of Britannia._

“ _Get Nunnally out first,” he said, glaring fiercely at the other man. “Then I'll trust you.”_

_The Knight of Two's face held a fond smile in it as he nodded once. “As you wish, Your Highness. Be that it may, I will protect you too, but I can see the Princess is very important to you.”_

“ _She is,” he set his jaw and looked at him. “You will promise to protect her with your life.”_

“ _Your Highness, I cannot do that. I was tasked to rescue the both of you. Both of your lives are important to me.”_

“ _I value hers over mine,” he crossed his arms across his chest. “Nothing must ever harm her. They can harm me all they want, but Nunnally can never be harmed. Promise me that, even above whatever orders you were given. Give me your oath and blood to swear it.”_

_The Knight of Two stared back for a long moment, light blue eyes meeting fiercely chipped purple ones. He kept his hand out, but his other one reached over with his drawn sword and Lelouch watched, eyes wide and fascinated as the Knight actually pricked his ring finger. A bead of bright red blood formed on the tip and the man looked at him once more. “I swear on the blood of my own as the oath that binds me, I will try to the best of my ability to ensure Nunnally vi Britannia is never harmed.”_

_He gulped, his throat feeling dry. No one had ever done something like that. He trembled a little, not from the cold of the rags that was once called his clothes nor of the cell he and Nunnally had been placed in, but from the sheer awe of such an action._

“ _Will you trust me now?”_

_Ten-year-old Lelouch vi Britannia looked up at the blue eyes of the Knight of Two, Sir Kavan Lorne, and took the hand, the sticky smear of blood rubbing onto his own skin. “I trust you.”_

The Knight of Two had died saving him and Nunnally during Trespasser's attack fulfilling his blood oath and promise to shield them from harm, to ensure Nunnally was never harmed in any way, both physically and mentally. But she had gotten hurt anyway, pinned underneath their mother's Knightmare hours or days after the Ector had fallen and Sir Kavan Lorne was dead.

But he had trusted the Knight of Two and the man had fulfilled his oath in every possible way.

Lelouch looked up at one of the two men who now took on the same mantle, wondering if they knew of Sir Kavan Lorne's history, of what the Knight of Two meant to him. That those words, 'trust me' were spoken like a sacred oath. He could never trust so easily, not in the pit of vipers that was Pendragon or Britannia. The last time those words were spoken to him...was from a Knight long dead, a Knight that kept his promise in the scant few years he knew him.

“...Euphie...” Suzaku's voice was a quiet rasp, but it brought all three eyes towards him. Lelouch shuddered, shaking his head. Suzaku shouldn't talk, he should be resting, getting the blue out. “Euphie tell him...tell him...he can trust Two, like he did before...”

“Oh, Lulu,” Euphie murmured quietly with a sigh.

Lelouch did not miss the puzzled look Trevin had on his face, but neither did he acknowledge Euphie's words. Instead, he looked at Suzaku who nodded slowly. Warmth, love and trust flowed through their bond, trying soothe the rough edges of the sorrow, despair and fear and he closed his eyes for a second before he opened them again and forced himself to relax, to allow Trevin to guide him up from the chair.

He glanced back to see Euphie staying put, pulling up her own chair next to his with a sad smile on her face. She nodded briefly at him before he was gently tugged away by Trevin and led to the other side of the infirmary. A set of doors was pushed opened, joined by another shadow that he was hazily aware of, but he saw the familiar tiles and metals of a shower and suddenly had the urge to get _clean_.

“Whoa, hey there...Ranger, easy, easy,” he felt the hand on his shoulder clamp a little further down as he lunged. He was guided to sit down onto the nearby chair – for those who were injured – he dimly realized, and Trevin's knelt down in front of him.

“Bruce, get the clothes and tell Dr. Peralta to get ready, I think our little Princeling here wants to actually get clean.”

“Scissors.”

A rasping sound of metal on metal was heard by his neck and Lelouch shied a little away before he felt the cool air hit his skin. He shivered, but the rasping sound would not stop as his skin slowly exposed with each scrape of sound. He glanced down and watched, almost like he was not quite there as Trevin slowly cut away the damaged drivesuit from him. It was odd really, like he was watching from above at each cut and peel.

Trevin stopped when he got to his right elbow, but by then Lelouch was shivering and watched as the man reached over to turn a few knobs. A sudden warm spray of water poured over him and Lelouch blinked as if coming out of a trance.

It felt good.

“Hey...there he is,” Trevin's smile was still gentle as brown eyes peered at him. Those eyes looked up before they addressed someone else in the bathroom. “I think you're okay to start scrubbing.”

“Okay,” Bruce's voice, sounding almost exactly like his twin – or maybe there were two of Trevin, Lelouch's mind was still fuzzy at this point – echoed above him before he heard a squelching sound then gentle hands were resting on his head.

They scratched back and forth and he relaxed a little bit. It felt nice, almost like when Suzaku would play with his hair occasionally while they laid in bed awake.

“Okay, going to cut around the wound here, he's pretty relaxed and I think we can shuck off the rest of this suit once I'm done up here.”

There were more sounds of rasping, but it stopped after a few minutes as did the scratching of his head. He blinked owlishly.

“Close your eyes for a second Ranger. Gotta get the soap off of your head,” a voice said quietly and he obeyed.

The spray of the warm water focused on his head and he tasted the bitterness of the shampoo used, followed by the faint scent of artificial pine. It was the same shampoo Suzaku used that he liked. The spray lasted a few more seconds before it was lifted and he opened his eyes again.

It felt good. The urge to get clean was getting stronger now and he moved, trying to strip the rest of that horrid suit off of him, to scrub until he was raw in the skin- He grimaced and suppressed a yelp of pain at how much his right arm suddenly _hurt_. He glanced at it and registered the fact that his drivesuit was still on the part of his arm while the rest of it was cut away.

“Hey, take it easy Lelouch...you got injured, remember? Gipsy's arm exploded when you guys were pulling on the garrote,” Bruce, Trevin, one of the twins' said quietly.

Oh. Right.

They had killed the kaiju by using wires from a cargo crane and partially lopping its head off. Then, there was blue. He glanced down at the rest of himself and picked at the pieces of drivesuit that clung on from his waist down. He didn't want to think of the blue and instead, wanted to get clean so that he didn't have to be reminded of the blue. He pushed at the material and growled a little when he realized he honestly needed _both_ hands in order to strip himself out of it, but with his right one injured... It occurred to him that he was in the _shower_ with two others, two other _men_. He was starting to feel painfully shy that he was half-naked from the waist up.

“Okay, okay, we get it. How about this, you let me score the rest and you can strip yourself. We won't look,” Trevin's voice was soft, but kind and he looked towards the Knight who had been kneeling next to him, holding up a pair of very sharp diamond-bladed industrial-grade scissors.

“O-Okay...” Lelouch agreed with a croak, clearing his own throat and gingerly stood up with some assistance. He felt light-headed and braced himself against the wall for a second, the sudden bout of dizziness leaving him a little queasy. Was it the anti-toxins? The bleed from the ghost Drift with Suzaku? Or how long had it been since he ate or drank anything?

“Shit, work fast Trev, he's white as a sheet-”

“No shit Bruce, I have eyes,” Trevin's voice lost its gentleness, but Lelouch could feel quick tugs down his legs on either side along with the sound of fabric tearing, before the tugs all but stopped. “You can strip now Lelouch. We're going to turn around, but be careful, okay? You haven't had food or anything to drink in the last twelve hours and you're already ghosting through the anti-toxins which would make anyone feel sick-”

“Trev, stop your fussing. I think he gets it.”

Lelouch glanced over to see one of the twins place a hand on the other's shoulder before forcing him to turn. He turned back and with his good hand, peeled away the rest of his drivesuit along with his underwear, letting the tattered cloth and whatever fabric made up the suit fall to the tiled ground with a wet slapping sound. The shower pounded its warm water near him and he stepped back into it, nearly melting against the feel of the spray as he braced himself against the wall for a few seconds. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out, the feeling of washing away the grime, sweat, blood, blue, everything away from the rest of his body.

The bone tired exhaustion suddenly hit him and it took a bit of an effort to open his eyes again. He made a half-hearted attempt to wash himself of the grime, but it seemed most of the spray had did its job and he reached over to turn off the shower head. His hand slipped and he blinked. There were two shower heads now...how did that be like that? He looked past the shower head – the tiled wall looked honestly good now and he rested his head against it-

“...Shit, he's fading fast, Bruce! Get the towel-”

The screeching sound of the shower head being turned and then the spray of water was gone. But Lelouch struggled to keep his eyes open, wanting nothing more than to close his eyes.

Something like rough cotton was dragged over him and he started slightly, coming a little awake in time to see concerned brown eyes staring at him before the feeling of roughness continued. He realized he was being toweled off and tried to push the hands away, but it really didn't seem to make much of an effort as his eyes started to slip close only to feel someone hitting his cheek a couple of times. He blinked his eyes open again to see the hazy face of Trevin staring at him.

“Come on, Princeling. Just need you to get into your boxers and we can handle the rest, okay?”

He blinked as a pair of shorts was dangled in front of him and he automatically grabbed at them before clumsily putting them on. He nearly stumbled and slipped as he tried to catch his feet, but strong arms held him steady before they patted him gently on the head. The rough cotton was suddenly rubbed into his hair and he was reminded greatly of the last time someone had done that for him.

“You're doing fine Ranger, just fine. You can rest now, you can trust us...we won't fail you, we won't fail Suzaku,” Trevin's voice was soothing now, somehow overlapping into the same voice as Sir Kavan Lorne. He trusted that voice...those voices...

Lelouch finally let himself go and slipped into the oblivion of darkness.

* * *

The Knights of Two carried Lelouch back to Suzaku's bedside completely limp and unconscious, but most of all, freshly showered and cleaned as best as possible. His right arm still had the drivesuit on it, protecting the burns underneath until Dr. Peralta could get a good look at it and do her work. But Euphie breathed a ragged sigh of relief at the sight. It was over twenty-nine hours since Gipsy Danger launched, decapitated Yamarashi, and Lelouch had apparently been awake the whole time. She had been worried that her beloved half-brother was going to make himself sick with exhaustion, especially since she recognized the signs of a very strong ghost Drift.

The Gages had said it was not a typical post-combat ghost Drift, more like Drift Shock due to their injuries and Suzaku's inhalation of kaiju blue, which might have accounted for Lelouch's frenzied and awakened state.

So to see him finally asleep, or unconscious, his face slowly smoothing out the wrinkles of pain, of agony and of despair in the half-RABIT of memories he had fallen into; she tried to hold her own emotions tight in her – to not give into the need to cry in relief. She had never known her brother could fall into such a trance that Dr. Peralta had called it a fugue. It was not common in Jaeger pilots, RABITs were the equivalent, but they were shared with both hemispheres. But she had speculated perhaps it was the shock and trauma of Suzaku inhaling kaiju blue and Lelouch's own horrific memories of Trespasser and Nunnally's condition.

But Suzaku's attempt to get through to his partner even though it had been quite painful for him to talk while the anti-toxins were doing their work told Euphie the fugue had been another event – one that she had only heard of, but never really knew the story about. Most of them knew of the assassination attempt on Marianne, but very few were privy to what immediately happened in the aftermath. Lelouch and Nunnally had been kidnapped by unknown assailants and held captive somewhere. No ransom had been given, but Euphie remembered Cornelia and the Margrave Gottwald organizing search parties.

Back then, she waited for days for news of her favorite half-brother and half-sister, forbidden from speaking of it to anyone except for Cornelia. Not even their mother knew about it – no one wanted a scandal so close to Marianne's assassination attempt. Then, just as suddenly they appeared back at Aires Villa, both of them looking thinner, but neither of them talking about their ordeal.

No one knew who had rescued them or if they had escaped.

Until now.

All Euphie had known back then was that in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, the kidnapping, the one to hold the title of Knight of Two – Sir Kavan Lorne, the Scythe of Britannia – had been assigned by the Emperor to watch over Marianne's recovery and of the royal siblings. Many in the Court were shocked – it was a demotionto essentially, babysit. But there were those who thought it was a bold statement, to assign the Knight of Two to guard the woman who was formerly the Knight of One and the Emperor's favorite consort. It meant that the threat over Marianne had been real. Naturally the Court had been beside themselves and rumors of Marianne having an affair with the Knight of Two became commonplace as the Scythe of Britannia was a very popular and an eligible catch as all of the Rounds were.

Euphie had not thought much about Sir Lorne when she resumed her play dates with Lelouch and Nunnally. The Knight was a competent, if aloof. Always watching from a distance and never interfering with their activities. She did notice that he would treat Nunnally with an extreme gentleness and favor that seemed to be doting, but thought it was due to Nunnally's natural charm – she produced that in almost everyone with her innocence and her guileless smile.

Perhaps it had been Sir Lorne who had rescued Nunnally and Lelouch. It would go a long way to explain why the Knight of Two was suddenly and inexplicably taken off the front lines of the expansion of Euro-Britannia and assigned to become the bodyguard of a royal family. It would certainly explain why Lelouch had been pressing both Trevin and Bruce's metaphoric buttons since they've been posted in Anchorage. Her half-brother had an affinity for the Knight of Two and if what Suzaku said was true, _trusted_ Sir Kavan Lorne with his life.

A rare feat for any royal.

There were only four people Euphie would ever trust her life or her secrets to: Lelouch, Suzaku, Nunnally and Cornelia. She didn't even fully trust Guilford, knowing that her sister's partner would save Cornelia's life over her own if push came to shove, even at the expense of Cornelia's orders.

But she knew Lelouch. He never fully trusted _anyone_ , except for Nunnally. Lelouch did not start trusting her until the incident with the _gom jabbar_ at the Academy. Even then, Euphie knew that he still didn't trust her fully as he had never invited her to meet Nunnally. She wasn't hurt by it; trust was a precious commodity in the royal family. Rarer than speaking truths. For any of them, to trust was to damn themselves and to be indebted and beholden to the person they trusted.

There were layers to each trust they put into each other. She only knew of two people Lelouch ever did that to, his beloved full-blooded sister and his Drift partner. Yet, Suzaku's words indicated that Lelouch had put his life, trust and faith in Sir Kavan Lorne. One of the Emperor's Knights. A man who technically was fully loyal to the Emperor and did not serve the whims of any other royal _except_ for the the Emperor.

If what Suzaku had murmured was true – Sir Kavan Lorne was an oathbreaker in the metaphoric sense. Probably not publicly, but the implications shocked her. Lelouch had gotten one of the Emperor's Knights to privately renounce his oath and loyalty to the Emperor and to bind the Knight to himself. She knew the argument could have been made that Suzaku – a person with little to no knowledge of the intricate politics of royalty and the Knights that served them – was in the throes of blue and the drugs used to clean his system, but Euphie discounted that argument immediately.

Suzaku was a very smart and observant person, not as flashy or as prone to dramatics as Lelouch, but he was intelligent in his own way. In the last year of watching him partner with her half-brother, he had picked up on subtle cues, knowledge of royalty and the Britannian politics that governed it like drinking from a well of knowledge. Drifting with Lelouch helped a lot of it, probably giving him more insight. The final piece was that Euphie knew Lelouch loved Suzaku so much that he would never leave his partner without proper knowledge to protect himself – not since the rumors of their relationship was gossiped among Britannians.

“Hey Suzaku,” Dr. Peralta's gentle voice made her pull herself from her thoughts to see the olive-skinned doctor walking over to them, dressed in fresh scrubs, a mask over her face, but her eyes crinkled enough to show that she had a smile underneath it.

Euphie felt Suzaku's fingers twitch in her own as he turned his hazy half-lidded eyes towards the doctor. She saw the moment he searched out Lelouch and found him, lying on a nearby stretcher, slack-jawed and obviously passed out. The Gages were still hovering near him. Both men looking utterly exhausted. Euphie did not blame them. They had stayed up longer than Lelouch had, hovering worriedly over their fellow Jaeger pilots. Euphie felt the same, but she knew her own limits and wasn't at least completely exhausted by the adrenaline of combat, injury and physical exertion of piloting a Jaeger.

“He's resting, Suzaku, don't worry. You did good. We're going to fix his arm now. Looks like the blue's finally cleared your system so we'll be taking you off of the anti-toxins and putting you on the painkillers and antibiotics in about two hours, okay?”

Suzaku nodded weakly, his exhales a mist of white against the breathing mask he wore.

“Before we do that, I want to take another MRI of your lungs just to be sure,” the doctor continued. “How is your leg feeling?”

“Hurts,” Suzaku muttered slowly, trying to gesture towards the left leg where the drivesuit burns were. He had also twisted it when he landed awkwardly in the conn-pod after popping out of the rig to get to the emergency portable oxygen tank. “Feels raw...like something crawling over my skin.”

“That's natural reaction to the toxin, good,” Peralta nodded behind her mask. “You're going to have scars, I'm afraid, a bit more deeper than the normal drivesuit burn scars. It's an unfortunate effect of the anti-toxins trying to purge your body of any kaiju blue. Any surface injury sustained tends to be permanent. Thankfully, internal injuries combated by the body will heal naturally, though it'll take about twice as long. But kaiju blue medicine has been advancing so your sprain will heal like normal. You should have full mobility in a couple of weeks.”

Euphie saw Suzaku's eyes widen slightly in surprise and felt a pang of sympathy. Suzaku complained more than once that he missed running, and taking his frustration out in the Kwoon wasn't helping matters. Pendragon's outdoor running track was shielded by walls and the highest technical security one could afford in such a Shatterdome to prevent paparazzi and other photos from being taken. It allowed Suzaku and Lelouch to do their morning calisthenics without any worry of enterprising photographs of the two of them being taken running together.

She squeezed his hand as he sighed quietly in resignation, slowly accepting that he wouldn't be able to run until he was fully healed.

“That said, you will have to take a very easy for a month or so, Ranger. You are very lucky that the blue didn't get so deep into your lungs to start killing all of the cilia and cells in it. You've only come out with mild case of bronchitis and you'll probably feel short of breath for the next few weeks, but we don't want to aggravate your condition, so I am restricting a lot of your physical activity for a month until we are sure its out of your system completely.”

“...Grounded?”

Peralta's eyes crinkled in some sympathy. “Yes and no. Officially no and the two of you are allowed to participate in some light simulations. But yes in the sense from what I've heard, it'll take about three months to completely restore Gipsy Danger.”

Euphie giggled softly at Suzaku's eyes widening a hair and even the doctor looked faintly amused.

“Both of you did a number on poor Gipsy,” she interjected, bringing his emerald green eyes on her. “Got my work cut out for me repairing her too. Blown up arm, half-crushed leg, not to mention the numerous plates we'll have to replace on her body, checking her conn-pod, replacing the lines and the rigs that Rivalz and his team broke to get the two of you out...”

“...Sorry,” Suzaku apologized and Euphie shook her head.

“Don't. The kaiju's dead. That's all that matters,” she squeezed his hand again and he nodded slowly.

“This is what it means to be heroes, Suzaku,” the doctor said solemnly. “And for that, we of Pendragon are grateful that you and Lelouch are here to protect us. You saved a lot of people and so let us make sure you too, are saved and taken care of.” She inclined her head towards him before turning to Euphie. “Princess, please also get some rest.”

“Yes ma'am,” Euphie replied as the doctor left them. She watched in silence as the doctor and nurses bustled around Lelouch's unconscious form for a few minutes before she shooed the Gages away and prepared her team to work on Lelouch's arm.

“...Euphie?”

She turned to see Suzaku looking at her, exhaustion evident in his eyes and she smiled gently at him. “I'm here. Go to sleep, Suzaku. I'll always be here...” she squeezed his hand again and saw him nod before his eyes slipped closed. She felt his hand relax in her own and knew that at least the immediate danger was over. Her boys did good today...saving thousands, if not millions of lives in Pendragon. Euphie leaned back against the chair she had pulled up and allowed herself to also relax. She was fast asleep in less than a minute.


	20. The Cultists Arc - Part V

Euphie awakened with the electronic sound of her getting a text message and a horrible crick in her neck. She groggily opened her eyes and pushed herself up from where she had leaned in her sleep. A smile appeared on her lips at Amanda's text of two pictures.

The first one was of her, Suzaku and Lelouch; the three of them with their heads near each other sleeping without a care in the world. Lelouch had automatically half-curled into Suzaku, restricted by the brace he wore on his right arm. Euphie was surprised that her own head was canted towards Suzaku's other side, near his shoulder. It certainly explained why her neck hurt from the angle which she had apparently fallen asleep at.

The other picture made her giggle quietly. It was of the Gages, passed out somewhere in the infirmary. It seemed Bruce hogged all of the blankets while Trevin looked slightly discomfited and had made an unconscious attempt at reclaiming the blankets, but seemingly failed and instead, sprawled his limbs on top of his twin in retaliation looking like a starfish.

It certainly made the twenty-something Knights look a lot younger than they were. Amanda had captioned that particular image with wondering if the two knew they fought in their sleep. Euphie quickly, and cheekily replied that Amanda would know considering she knew which one hogged all of the blankets. She merely received a tongue sticking out emoji in reply.

Euphie yawned, stretching her arms and legs as she stood up. She absently rubbed her tailbone, the feeling of pins and needles washing over her lower back. A glance at her watch told her that it had been a few hours since she had slept and while she knew she probably needed more sleep, she also knew that it was safe enough for her to return to her room to get some proper rest. Lelouch was next to Suzaku, which meant they didn't need her to be there anymore. Sleep would resolve the rest of whatever physical contact they needed in the post-combat Drift.

While the Ranger Protocols did not outright spell out what normally happened to pilot pairs, _everyone_ who read them understood the implicit needs. Ranger pairs tended to be more physically affectionate with each other after combat because of the stress and seemingly becoming one mind to fight the kaiju. The post-combat protocols indicated it was a part of the way Ranger pairs became two people again.

The Gages were the classic brother pairing. In the aftermath of Itak, everyone on team Gipsy got their first good look at how the protocols and post-combat Drift applied in real life. The Gages normally mirrored each other in posture, gestures and even manner of speech – Itak's post-combat Drift showed that it got to _bewilderingly_ baffling levels. They acted like they were one person, but included more slaps on the back, affectionate punches, even ribbing and hugs and gesture of sibling affection with one another. It lasted a total of nearly forty-hours before they returned to their normal selves.

Ragnarok's aftermath was the same so Gipsy expected it from their own pilot pair.

Except it seemed there was a severe _lack_ of the visible affection and closeness. There were hints of it: reported sightings of synced steps in Tokyo Shatterdome when Lelouch and Suzaku were spotted within the forty-eight hour leave period and remnants of it in Anchorage a few days later during the party. Milly even said that the two belted their seatbelts and ate and drank on their flight back like eerie mirrors. But there was none of the physical affection they had come to expect or potentially see in the two.

It was an open secret among the team – and possibly the rest of the Ranger Corps – that people knew Lelouch and Suzaku were a couple, romantically and physically. It was also why the Ranger Protocols had been heavily emphasized. The public chastisement of Milly's sexually charged innuendos had been dealt with severely. The team took their lead from their pilot pair, not really bringing it up unless it was addressed by the Rangers first. It had been drilled into them to protect their Rangers from any problems that could potentially affect their Drift compatibility. Team Gipsy Danger had been somewhat prepared to ignore or deflect any signs of physical affection like kissing or even hand holding. The bewildering lack of such signs had made them wonder. Everyone on the team had been confused, except for Euphie.

She suspected it was when her half-brother's protective instincts was at its highest. To protect, to preserve and to make sure no one was able to exploit his weakness, what he held most dear. It was sad thought, but Euphie knew it was the only way her brother knew how to live. To trust in such a time was to bear his own heart and soul.

So seeing him, curled into Suzaku, she knew that they were going to be fine and that she need not be their shield against the world at this very moment. She yawned again, rubbing her eyes as she drew back part of the privacy curtains around the bed and chair.

She blinked, surprised to see the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, leaning against a pillar in the infirmary, arms crossed across his chest. His eyes popped open at the scraping sound of metal-on-metal and he grinned at her as she pulled the curtain close behind her.

“Princess,” he inclined his head towards her. She frowned at him and he cleared his throat. “Sorry...Euphie.”

“Gino” she nodded at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Guard duty,” he shrugged. “With the Knights of Two passed out, someone has to do it.”

“What?”

He shrugged again. “Your sister's orders. Well, partially. I've got other reasons to be here, but she's asked that I guard you while I'm stationed here.”

Euphie frowned, annoyed. “I keep telling her I _don't_ need a Knight-”

“Hey, hey...” Gino held up his hands and she rolled her eyes.

“No offense to you, Gino. I enjoy your company and all, but Cornelia's pushing this too far,” she groused.

The blond-haired Knight chuckled. “I know, I get it. But you can't fault her for doing this. Someone got to Calares in the chaos of the battle so she's right to take very precaution.”

Euphie blinked. “Wait...what?”

Gino's blue eyes became serious. “Calares is dead. The coroner says that he was killed some time during the whole battle with Yamarashi. The Second Prince is staying a bit longer while he starts that investigation. Cornelia and Guilford are also here, temporarily, but they've asked Marshal Kennedy to extend their stay while they help the Second Prince with the investigation.”

“An assassination?”

“More than likely, yeah,” Gino scratched the back of his head. “So you really can't fault your sister's wishes right now.”

Euphie cursed silently as she gritted her teeth. “As if we don't have enough to deal with...”

“Yeah, we're definitely keeping this one under wraps if possible. Only a handful of people know right now, but I've been authorized to tell you since Cornelia knows you would put up a fuss about me being here.”

Euphie sighed in resignation. “Well, I was planning to just go back to my room to sleep, but if Cornelia's here, I'll go blister her ears instead.”

Gino chuckled dryly. “I value my Knighthood too much to stick around for that one.”

Euphie smiled at him. “Then can I ask you a favor to stay over and watch the four of them?”

“I hardly think the Knights of Two need _my_ protection,” Gino raised an elegant eyebrow, “but Suzaku and Lelouch, sure, why not.”

Euphie laughed wistfully at Gino's unabashed enthusiasm. The first time the Lucky Seven pilot had met Suzaku in-person was in Anchorage and Euphie had seen the child-like enthusiasm the Knight of Three had towards the Japanese pilot. She knew Gino had grown up very sheltered as a noble, honing his incredible skills as a Knightmare prodigy to the degree where he had been Knighted as one of the youngest, even without a military career to back it up.

However, that sheltering had made Gino rather curious as to how the world operated outside of the confines of nobility and titles. Euphie thought that Gino's Drift partner would help things, but he was quiet as to whom his mysterious partner was and only said that his partner could not help him nor did he wish to seek out his help in learning the world outside nobility. Instead, he had gravitated towards Suzaku instantly considering he was the _only_ pilot outside of Britannia at that time, that was _not_ a noble or military and was pure civilian.

Suzaku seemed a bit bewildered by the sudden attention, but took it in stride as he normally did with most surprises thrown at him. In the short time that the two had been pouring over Lelouch's tactical maps along with the Gages, there was a definite rapport and friendship growing between Suzaku and Gino. She was happy that the two of them were able to bond in such a way; Gino seemed rather lonely and she knew Suzaku was very generous with his kindness and friendship towards others.

“Cornelia's in the war room the last I checked. Probably with the Second Prince,” Gino said and Euphie nodded.

“Thanks. I'll probably talk with her and then go get some sleep. I'll text you when I wake up so you don't have to worry, okay?”

“I appreciate it Euphie,” Gino sketched a short bow towards her as she left the infirmary.

She headed towards the elevators and took it up to the floor where LOCENT, the Marshal's office and the war room were. Knocking on the door, she was surprised as it slid open, revealing only Cornelia and Schneizel sitting inside. She was very surprised that Kanon and Guilford were not there, very used to seeing them with her siblings.

“Euphie, you're awake!” Cornelia stood up, hurrying over and she hugged her older sister tightly. “I was so worried!” her voice was muffled slightly as she spoke into her hair as Euphie released her.

“I'm fine,” she said, “still tired, but wanted to talk to you and Schneizel.”

“Ah,” Cornelia took a step back, still holding her hands, “this is about the Knight of Three right?”

“I heard what happened to Duke Calares.” Euphie let her sister pull her over to the table. “Schneizel,” she greeted belatedly.

“Good to see you're all right and awake, Euphie,” Schneizel inclined his white-blond head towards her. His light purple eyes were soft and kind, but Euphie stilled a little at her older half-brother's words as well as puzzling over Cornelia's greeting.

“Why would I not be all right?” She looked at Cornelia who frowned a little before turning back to Schneizel. “Something happened, didn't it?”

Cornelia pursed her lips, silent for a few seconds, but it was Schneizel who answered. “The assassin that went after Calares attempted to go after me. Kanon apprehended him and Guilford is handling interrogation.”

Euphie frowned as she took a seat across across from Cornelia, but perpendicular to Schneizel who was – fittingly – sitting at the head of the war table. “The assassin didn't hurt you, right?”

Schneizel smiled slightly before shaking his head. “As always, your compassion does you credit Euphie. No, I am not hurt. My assistant was able to subdue him before such an attack could be carried out.”

She nodded as her frown turned into a more neutral look. “I'm glad Kanon is there for you,” she said quietly. Her older half-brother merely inclined his head slightly at the affection, but also at the acknowledgment of her veiled words.

Euphie knew Schneizel _hated_ using Kanon in that sense, as a pseudo Knight. It was why he never formally took on one nor Knighted his childhood friend and playmate. However, in a way that was completely opposite of Lelouch's treatment of Suzaku, Schneizel accepted that Kanon would never be equal to him and Kanon did not mind being subordinated to his Prince. It was like looking into a mirror to Lelouch's relationship with Suzaku in that sense. Both of his older half-brothers were secretive about their unofficial Knights – Euphie figured Suzaku had basically pledged himself to Lelouch as an unofficial knight immediate after he had asked her about it long ago during Term 3 in the Academy – and both of them were utterly ruthless when it came to ensuring that nothing harmed their unofficial Knights if they could help it.

“Euphie...” Cornelia started hesitantly and she turned to her sister.

“No,” she shook her head, knowing what her older sister was about to say. “I'm not picking one.”

Cornelia's gloved hand curled into a fist and she arched a magenta eyebrow at her. “Why not? Surely the threat-”

“Was neutralized by Kanon,” she immediately cut in before glancing at Schneizel, “unless you think there are other threats against the rest of us brother?”

Schneizel shrugged. “Until we know more from Guilford, we can't guarantee that it was not an attempt on the three of us. It would be easy to assess from an advantage standpoint that I was supposedly the easiest since I was not in the infirmary which is under heavy guard and surveillance. Plus, protected by three Knights of the Round. Cornelia and Guilford were over seeing the removal of Yamarashi's remains so her movements are hard to predict. I was located in a centralized area to oversee all.”

“But you already have theories,” she countered and Schneizel smiled slightly.

“I forgot how astute you were Euphie,” Schneizel sounded proud and Euphie refused to blush like she used to whenever one of her older siblings praised her. Instead, she held his gaze firmly.

“Compliments won't get you anywhere at this rate, Schneizel.”

“And spending too much time with Lelouch made your tongue sharper,” Schneizel chuckled lightly.

“He's my pilot, I'm his J-Tech Chief,” she shrugged.

“I have theories,” he acknowledged her statement, “that we weren't the actual targets. That it was just Calares, but the assassin got orders at the last minute to try to eliminate myself at the cost of their own life or otherwise. There is at least a six hour difference between when we found Calares' body to when the attack happened on me.”

“You think they're throwing away their asset?” Cornelia's gaze was sharp.

“Yes,” Schneizel replied. “No more use.”

“Even if they could give up the name or names of those who hired them?”

“If they do, it's going to be a false trail. Something to lead us away from those behind the assassination. It tells me that Calares knew something they did not want out along with the fact that he was a loose end to be tied off so to speak. The assassin they sent was very good, but also one they could easily dispose of.”

“Then why-”

“It's still worth pursuing. We will have more information gathered about our enemies,” Schneizel shrugged again, rather indifferent about the whole thing.

Cornelia sighed heavily, “I hate it when you play with people's lives, your own life like this, Schneizel.”

Euphie was quiet. It was not her place to say she agreed or disagreed with Cornelia, even though she did agreed with her older sister. Cornelia was close in age to Schneizel like Euphie was to Lelouch and she found it quite eerie to see so much of her favorite half-sibling mirrored in the man known as the Second Prince. Except while she knew Lelouch would never stoop to such a level, it didn't take much to see that Lelouch thought in the similar patterns – perhaps keeping his own schemes and machinations close to him after so many painful lessons and loss over the years.

Perhaps it was because Schneizel was older and more experienced in such matters that he took his scheming to this extreme and in that sense, she found it quite sad. Nonetheless, she also knew that Schneizel cared a lot about them and wouldn't needlessly harm them with his actions. He would do everything to protect them – and even protect Lelouch contrary to his status as an ex-Prince.

She sighed quietly and stared at her older half-brother. “I'm not picking a Knight, so whatever you plan, please do so with that knowledge.”

“Euphie-”

“Cornelia, no,” she turned and pinned her sister with a look. “And Gino needs to be released from his duties towards me soon enough. We need Lucky Seven out there. While I am sure he does not mind, we are down two Jaegers with Tacit Ronin unavailable. If the next kaiju attack is to come, we need to have all available resources.”

“Euphie, you need a Knight.”

“Why?” she was starting to get a little irritated with her sister's continued insistence. “I am well protected-”

“Sticking close to Lelouch and Suzaku is _not_ protection, Euphie. You cannot rely on them always. If anything, make Kururugi your Knight-”

“That is a disservice and slap in the face to Lelouch-”

Cornelia threw up a hand. “Then what do you want me to say, Euphie? I know you have considered him as your Knight. I honestly think he would make a good Knight contrary to his...foreign qualities. He has proven himself to be physically adept and I know he would do anything to protect you-”

“-And Lelouch-”

“-To protect you from harm. He embodies qualities of a Knight that we have seen in his year as a Ranger. The Knights of Two have reported their findings and even Knight of Three is impressed with Kururugi. Make him your Knight and I won't have this conversation with you each time we talk.”

She glared at Cornelia. “No,” she set her jaw stubbornly. “I refuse.”

Cornelia growled, irritated.

“I refuse on the principle that I can take care of myself if I am under threat-”

“It is not just about you-”

“Yes it is,” she glared at her older sister. “Knights are inherently about the ones they protect. It's always about the royal. I don't want one for that reason. I am capable of taking care of myself. I was a Ranger candidate, Cornelia. I've been practicing and the Knights of Two have even begun to teach me about firearms.”

“I'm hearing Lelouch out of your mouth-”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Euphie shot back. “He's right.”

Cornelia growled again. “Euphie, you are the Third Princess. Lelouch is _not_ a royal anymore-”

“So? Perhaps I am a reformist then,” she set her jaw stubbornly. “Someone has to with our family and being posted here.”

Her sister hung her head slightly. “Euphie, now is _not_ the right time-”

“Now is the right time,” she insisted. “It is in fact, the _perfect_ time. We won't be cowed by such cowardly acts like an assassination attempt. We're Britannia. We will always have enemies and our enemies will expect us to act in a certain way in which we had done so for many years.”

“I _don't_ want to lose you like we almost lost Marianne!” Cornelia finally shouted and Euphie blinked, stunned. She met her sister's violet-eyed gaze and saw her staring back with an unreadable expression. “Marianne wasn't protected, in fact, she _refused_ protection the night she was nearly killed! She dismissed myself and Margrave Gottwald. We were part of her security detail and then...”

Euphie bit her lip, looking away. She was ashamed and stared down at the table. “I...I'm sorry, I didn't know...”

“Please,” Cornelia pleaded. “Please, please, choose a Knight. Or if you really want, someone unofficial, someone that will protect you even if you don't make him or her your formal Knight? I just...I just want to know that you'll be safe at the Shatterdomes. When I'm not here...”

Euphie squirmed, worrying her lower lip as she continued to stare at the table. She wanted to choose Suzaku, but she also knew that she couldn't. Suzaku meant too much to her and to her brother. Cornelia was right, he was perfect Knight material. A gentleman, a protector, and one who would gladly care for whomever was under his charge. He had already shown that to the two of them. But he was also Lelouch's unofficial Knight and she couldn't take that bit of happiness away from her brother.

She sighed and glanced at Schneizel. “Can Lucky Seven be posted here for a while, while I make my decision?”

Schneizel shook his head. “Unfortunately not.”

She slumped a little disappointed.

“But, the Knight of Three can,” Schneizel continued quietly. “I have need of his other half on certain...matters of state so Lucky Seven will more than likely be out of the Shatterdome rotations for the next few months or however long it takes for the operations I have to be finished.”

“Oh...” Euphie blinked. She tilted her head a little. “Of course you would know who pilots the other half of Lucky Seven...”

“I do,” Schneizel replied evenly. “But it is knowledge that I cannot share, Euphie. You may ask the Knight of Three, but I doubt even he would be reluctant to say anything.”

Euphie knew she probably would never ask, considering Gino seemed to avoid the topic all together. A quick glance at Cornelia showed that even she did not seem to know who the other half of Lucky Seven was. “Thank you,” she replied sincerely to her brother's offer.

“Cornelia,” Schneizel addressed her in a gentle but firm tone. “I will petition the Emperor to officially assign the Knight of Three as her protector per royal protocols, but if I may suggest-”

“It's not a suggestion when you use that tone Schneizel.”

The blond-haired man smiled faintly. “It is not, but may I encourage the lessening of some hostility towards this situation by perhaps adding a few additional security personnel to Pendragon and to discreetly allow Euphie to vet candidates on her own?”

“Euphie?”

Euphie sighed. As much as she resisted, she knew she was losing this battle. Now with Schneizel involved – which was a brilliant stroke of genius from her military-minded sister – she had no other choice. “Give me the official list then. I can't guarantee if I'll make a decision, but at least I'll give it a look, if that's all right?”

“That is perfectly fine Euphie,” Schenizel held up a hand to ward off whatever Cornelia was going to say. “We only want to best for you.”

“Yeah...” she sighed. As much as she wished she had the freedom to choose – something she was a little jealous of Lelouch's status – she also knew that she was too selfish to give up her own title as the Third Princess. She knew she could do so much with her title, but it was the sticking point of having a Knight that bothered her the most. She sighed again, the tiredness of being awake for so long hitting her once more. “I'm glad both of you are all right, especially you Schneizel.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “Get some sleep Euphie. You and your team did very well with Yamarashi and all of you deserve some rest and leave soon. Thank you for accommodating our requests.”

She smiled faintly before she pushed herself up from the table as did Cornelia. Walking over, she hugged her sister tightly to show that she had no lingering animosity for their verbal spat just moments ago before she went over and hugged Schneizel to his surprise. She giggled lightly as she received an awkward pat before leaving the two of them.

She headed back down to the infirmary, smiling as she saw Gino still at his post, his eyes closed, but his posture alert. He opened his eyes and nodded at her as she arrived.

“How are they?”

“Still sleeping. Though one of the twins just woke up. The Second Prince is probably going to give them their orders soon.”

“They've been assigned to protect the two of them, haven't they?” Euphie did not need to guess as much. Schneizel was very worried if he was commandeering the Emperor's Knights.

Gino raised an eyebrow. “How-”

“I just talked to Schneizel,” Euphie smiled faintly. “And he told me that you'll be assigned to me for now. Cornelia and Schneizel of them are insisting that I get a Knight.”

“Ah,” the blond-haired man nodded. “Smart. If you need my help in the vetting process, then I am all yours Princess.”

“Euphie.”

“Euphie,” Gino cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

“You really don't mind being out of Lucky Seven for this long?”

“Eh. I mean, I can't say I miss beating kaiju up. There's an element of...satisfaction to it.”

Euphie did not miss the sudden change in his wording and the slight feral gleam in his eye. She wondered if it was because of the bond between Gino and whomever his partner was. Perhaps the other half of Lucky Seven had an insatiable bloodlust or urge to hurt the kaiju – much like Lelouch's own unquenchable fury and propensity for violence towards the monsters. It was interesting...in a way that piqued Euphie's observational interest.

“But I also don't mind my current duties as a Knight of the Round,” he grinned at her. “It's a good change of pace.”

Euphie smiled at the eager Knight. “I hope you like crawling around the innards of a Jaeger because that'll be my job for the next few months to repair and reconfigure Gipsy.”

“Hand me the wrench and I'll help fix,” Gino returned the smile. “She was in fine form against Yamarashi. Gotta get her back up to spec so she can keep up with the others.”

Euphie laughed lightly before she felt herself starting to yawn. She managed to cover part of it with her hand and saw Gino wince in sympathy. “I'm headed to sleep, so if you want to stay on post, you can. I'll call you when I'm more coherently awake...probably eight or so hours. Don't forget to get some rest yourself too.”

“Thank you,” Gino nodded in appreciation before bowing towards her. “Have a good rest, Euphie.”

She nodded once before leaving and heading back to the elevators. She knew most of her siblings weren't so formal with assigned Knights, preferring to use the informality of letting them know their schedule for their personal knights. But Euphie preferred to maintain the semblance of humanism, especially since Gino was keeping an eye on the Knights of Two, Lelouch and Suzaku along with her for now. A tall task for even a single Knight.

She reached her room shortly and was quickly asleep in less than ten minutes.

* * *

Awareness came nearly all at once for Lelouch as he first heard the steady beeping sound that he immediately identified as a heartbeat monitor, followed by the harsh feel of rough cloth against his own skin. The next thing he heard was the low murmurs of voices before he blearily opened his eyes. His vision blurred for a second before it resolved into the sharp clarity of the infirmary. The smell of anti-septic and harsh cleaning materials followed by the distinct smell of something plastic made him grimace.

Turning his head, he blinked, slightly confused for a moment as he saw Suzaku, sitting up in his bed, a nasal cannula over his nose and face playing checkers on a board set up next to his bed; with the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg.

“Hey, sleeping beauty arises!” Gino grinned at him and Lelouch stared for a second before he saw Suzaku turn and a fond smile was on his friend's face.

“Hey,” Suzaku reached over and grasped his hand, squeezing it briefly before letting it go.

“Hey,” Lelouch cleared his throat a little before pushing himself up from the single bed – joined next to Suzaku's to his relief – and rubbed his eyes. “How...”

“He's only been awake for the last three hours. We decided to let you sleep away and wake naturally, though now I better get the doctor before she has my head again...”

Suzaku laughed lightly, but there was a clear grimace across his features before he coughed, hunching over as it seemed to come from deep within him. It sounded like a deep growling sound instead of a regular cough and Lelouch could feel an uncomfortable sensation in his chest at the sound. He rubbed it absently, wanting to also reach over to rub Suzaku on the back, but held back at the hand splayed out towards him.

Suzaku stopped after a few seconds, taking shallow shaky breaths before lengthening them until he slowly straightened. His face was bright red, but he seemed to ignore the severe lack of air he had from his coughing fit.

“...Sorry,” Gino winced in apology.

“Not...your fault. It was coming anyways. I could feel it,” Suzaku waved away the apology with a hoarser sounding voice. He cleared his throat and took a deeper breath. “Medication's working, that's all.”

“If you're sure...” the Knight of Three looked uncomfortable, but Suzaku waved a hand at him again.

“Go get the doctor before she has your head again. We can finish our game after.”

“Okay,” the Knight of Three brightened some more before pushing the rolling table away and headed out, drawing the privacy curtains behind him.

Lelouch blinked sleep from his eyes and suppressed a yawn as he studied his friend. “You okay?” he asked even though it was a bit of a rhetorical question. He couldn't feel the intensity of emotions and feelings like he had from the previous post-combat Drift and knew that it must have faded while he had been unconscious. However, their bond was still humming along and the phantom feel of Suzaku's cough pressed on his chest like a light hand hovering just above his skin.

Suzaku's lips twitched as he nodded silently. “It's fine,” he huffed, taking another slow breath. “Dr. Peralta said I'd be feeling like shit for the next week and half with this cough. Its the bronchitis and antibiotics doing their work in cleaning out any lingering infection from the blue.”

Lelouch's lips curled uncomfortably. “It sounds and looks like you're out of breath and dying...”

Suzaku snorted quietly before wincing and rubbing his chest. “Ow...shouldn't have done that. But yeah, pretty much.”

“Suzaku...”

“Lelouch...” he echoed his tone with a look before suddenly reaching over and pulling him into a hug. Lelouch stiffened for a second before all but melting into the contact, his arms wrapping gently around his friend and hugging him back. He hooked his chin over Suzaku's shoulder and just breathed, fighting the sudden tears that sprang to his eyes as he closed his eyes.

“I'm sorry,” Suzaku apologized quietly, his breath ghosting against the small hairs around his ear. “I'm sorry for worrying you, I'm sorry for reminding you about Nunnally-”

“Stop,” he rumbled. “Don't...don't apologize for that. That...was my own weakness. My own fault.” He buried his face into Suzaku's shoulder, the shame of his own panic and weakness in the realization Suzaku had inhaled kaiju blue, making him want to do nothing more than continue to protest. He needed to be better than this, he was a soldier, he was-

“You _are_ better than you think, Lelouch,” Suzaku murmured quietly, his voice hoarse from the bronchitis. “You are right to fear and to worry. Kaiju blue has taken too much away from you.”

“I selfishly didn't want to lose you like Kallen lost Naoto or Duc with Kaori...” Lelouch mumbled into Suzaku's shoulder. “I'm a selfish person...I...” He nearly sobbed again, the rollercoaster of emotions running through him at the fact that he was actually holding Suzaku, instead of holding just his hand. “I couldn't trust anyone to tell me that you would be all right. That the anti-toxins were working and that you were going to be all right. All I felt, all I was lost in was your pain, my own pain...my own fear.”

He reached up with a hand to wipe at the tears that were threatening to fall now. “I felt you trying to calm me down...but I was too stubborn to acknowledge it. I ignored you and...and that's on me-”

Suzaku sighed and Lelouch could feel him open his mouth before he felt the sudden uncomfortable tightening sensation in his chest just as Suzaku coughed. He immediately let him go as Suzaku automatically curled around himself, trying to gasp for air while the deep rumbling cough rolled through his lungs. Lelouch gingerly reached out and placed a hand on Suzaku's back, gritting his teeth at the sight of how... _sick_ his friend was.

He saw Suzaku blindly reach up to grab the hand on his back and automatically grasped it just as Suzaku coughed some more. It was like listening to an organ pipe wheeze for a few minutes before Suzaku finally stopped, taking quick shallow breaths, his face red once more as he just tried to get air into his lungs even with the cannula's help.

He was able to really study how pale his friend was: dark circles under his eyes and his skin sallow and stretched slightly from the loss of muscle in battling the toxin of the blue and the subsequent bronchitis. It wasn't a total muscle loss, but it was clear that Suzaku was going to take a couple of weeks to recover his strength and muscle mass to healthy, fit levels.

“Don't...worry,” Suzaku reassured him with a watery smile as he took another shallow breath and let it out slowly. He squeezed their hands together. “It sounds and feels a lot worse than it looks. Dr. Peralta said that it's a mild case.”

Lelouch nodded slowly. “I...trust you,” he forced himself to say the words out loud. He had to. There was no other way without wanting to do nothing more than the retreat back to the horrible place he had been before he woke up. He didn't know why it was hard, but he couldn't tamp down on the fear at the fact that Suzaku, of all people, caught kaiju blue. Inhaled it. How could they have been so careless-

“Hey.” A calloused rough hand landed on Lelouch's cheek and he started slightly to see his partner, face still a bit pink from the exertion, but staring at him with a serious look. “Lelouch...look at me. I'm all right. Don't go to that place, okay? Don't get lost in your memories. Medicine has improved since Nunnally got hurt. They understand kaiju blue more now. I'm going to recover and I'm going to be all right.”

Lelouch slowly nodded, leaning into the hand that was on his cheek. He turned it slightly and kissed Suzaku's palm, his lips tracing the contours and lines on his skin. Turning back, he saw his friend's eyes soften a little. “I trust you...” Lelouch said again, trying to convince himself.

“Then trust this,” Suzaku let go of their hands and reached out to place his palm on Lelouch's chest for a moment before reaching up to cup his other cheek in his hand. “Trust this,” he indicated his head. “You know you can...and I know you always have plans that you trust in. People you trust in. This may be Pendragon, but you have friends and allies here. Trust us...”

Lelouch closed his eyes as he leaned closer so that their foreheads were touching. He could feel the soothing reassurance through their bond. It was mingled with the love and affection they had for each other and it slowly washed away the fear and terror that the knowledge of kaiju blue had created. “I...trust you,” he whispered, his lips almost touching Suzaku's, but went no further. “And...I love you.”

He could feel Suzaku's smile in their bond, the spark of joy. “I love you too,” Suzaku replied.

* * *

Lelouch was officially discharged when Dr. Peralta had come to check up on him. She graciously allowed him to sit and stay next to Suzaku for the most part until after several hours, he was dragged out by Euphie who had come to get food into him. Taking Suzaku's mild admonishment to start to actually trust those around him instead of holding them at arm's length, he allowed himself to be led out.

The mess hall was mostly empty for late at night, but Euphie wheedled the cooks into making them something that resembled a lot of grease and calories. Whatever it was, it was food and the two of them sat in one of the tables near the windows and ate. Lelouch never realized how hungry he was until he practically inhaled the food, much to Euphie's amusement.

“Are you also eating for Suzaku?” She teased with a small smile.

“Probably,” he replied. He could feel a faint amusement along his bond and wondered if his friend had a visitor while he was gone. He forced himself to ignore it. Suzaku was going to be all right and this was normal. He did not need to hover and worry.

“I say we bring him cake from the mess hall and make him jealous.”

“You do know that once he gets better I get the brunt of that retaliation just by living with him, right?”

“I know,” Euphie smiled.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. “Thanks Euphie, really appreciate the support here.”

“That's what I'm here for. Supporting you,” she replied a bit sarcastically before taking a large bite out of the meatball in the creation she had ordered. “How are you doing?”

Lelouch hesitated for a second before nodding. “Better...” he shrugged. “I think...”

She tilted her head slightly and looked at him. “Ah...Suzaku talked to you, didn't he?”

He speared a few of the rotini and ate it. “You know about that?”

“Not hard to guess, brother dear,” Euphie smiled slightly. “You turtle, or rather hedgehog if you want to look at it. You curl tightly and don't let anyone in or trust them to tell you the truth until you dig and dig and find out what it is. Then...maybe you come out of it. Maybe.”

“Maybe?” he was curious.

“Lelouch, the last time you were like this, you renounced your title and moved to Hawai'i with Nunnally. The time before that was after Marianne's assassination attempt. It took...six months before you really talked with me and I mean really talked.”

“Is that what I'm doing now?”

“Sort of, but I can see you're trying to move past it,” Euphie admitted. “I talked briefly with Suzaku about it. It's a natural instinct, Lelouch. Your natural instinct. You try to see the best in everyone, but you're also stubborn to a fault. You trust them less after they keep betraying you. And it can be the little things. Then...something big like this happens and you lose all hope and faith and question everything that you've trusted and known. So then you create situations where something like this can't ever happen again. Moving Nunnally and yourself to Hawai'i, removing yourself from the royal family, making sure that the Sir Kavan Lorne is your guardian...”

Lelouch froze, his fork halfway to his mouth before he set it down. “How...do you know about that?”

“I guessed,” Euphie replied honestly as she moved a mushroom around her plate. “Kind of an educated one after well...Suzaku did tell you to trust the Gages after you tried to fight everyone off to get you out of your drivesuit...”

Lelouch winced. He remembered most of what happened, even if he did fugue at times. His first stop tomorrow morning was to apologize to Shirley for nearly giving her a black eye. She did not deserve that.

“I visited you and Nunnally from time to time after the attempt and saw Sir Lorne there so it wasn't hard to put two and two together that the former Knight of Two was assigned to your family after what happened. Do you remember me telling you that I was worried about the two of you after...that incident?”

“The kidnapping,” Lelouch murmured.

She nodded. “And how pretty much no one was allowed to talk about it?”

“We took a ride through Aires Villa just to get away and talk, though Sir Lorne was following at a distance,” he pressed his lips together. “I remember.”

“You didn't say much, just that you and Nunnnally didn't know who were your captors. You didn't tell me about if you were rescued or if you escaped.”

“A little bit of both,” he admitted and she looked solemn.

“I always wondered why Fath- um, the Emperor took Sir Lorne off of the front lines and essentially demoted him to be your family's bodyguard. A lot of the rumors were spread from there-”

“Yeah that my mother had an affair with him or something like that, I remember,” Lelouch _hated_ those rumors, but he was even more surprised that the Knight did not do anything to quell it and instead ignored it like it was nothing. He had railed against Sir Lorne and learned a valuable lesson from that argument. He sighed. “I guess it doesn't hurt to tell it now... Lorne rescued us, though I call it both because he was carrying Nunnally while I went on foot. Schneizel knows the full story if you want to ask him.”

“I don't want to ask Schneizel. I'm asking you, Lelouch,” Euphie shook her head. “Or rather, I'm not asking, but if you want to tell me, it's fine.”

Lelouch poked the lump of sausage and meatball that was left on his plate. He sighed and fought his instinct to ask why Euphie was so interested in hearing the story right now. To demand an answer before he would tell the story. Instead, he looked at his sister. “Do you have one?”

“One? Oh...” Euphie nodded and pulled a bug diffuser out of the pocket of her coveralls. She set it down and activated it, the familiar buzzing sensation making the two of them wince. “God I hate those things.”

“But they're damn useful,” he replied. “When did you get yours?”

“From Cornelia when she arrived in Anchorage. She said since it's Pendragon Shatterdome, I'd probably need it in some capacity since I'm a Princess.” She eyed the device sitting in the middle of their table. “You own one?”

“Shared between Suzaku and I,” he replied. “Gages.”

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow at her surprise and she shrugged. “They don't strike me as people who need those things. Honest to the point where the rest of the Court think they're innocently charming in their own way.”

“They work with Earl Asplund and the ASEEC so maybe they swiped it?” Truth be told, Euphie did have a point. He didn't expect the Gages to ever own such a device, yet they had given him and Suzaku one and kept one on themselves too. It was interesting...but he suppose in the fact that it suited them to present such a front where they could then slip information to him in the long run.

Euphie made a noise of interest before looking at him. “You don't have to tell me.”

“I do,” he immediately countered. “But before I do, I also wanted to ask the next time we have leave, you want to come with me?”

Her eyes widened and a smile appeared on her face as she realized what he meant. “Yes, if you'll have me.”

“I was hoping to have taken you earlier, but-”

“No, thank you,” she interrupted him. “I'm just glad you trust me.”

He nodded. “Yamarashi's...put things into perspective. And...partially why I'm tell you this story.”

She smiled slightly and speared the mushroom she had been playing around with and ate it. “I appreciate it.”

He pushed his plate to the side and folded his hands in front of him, setting them on the table. “Sir Lorne and I never found out who kidnapped us or if it was related to Mother's assassination attempt. We suspect it was, but I also did not fully trust Sir Lorne when he rescued Nunnally and I. I had overheard an argument before the assassination attempt and our kidnapping. It was between Mother and a guest. The guest had a high-pitched voice, almost like a child, but his words were formal, like an adult. I never got to see who he was, but I knew it was a male because of the way he spoke. I also never got his name, but if given the chance, I probably could identify him again.”

Lelouch lifted his arms from the table and curled his fingers together, resting his chin on top of them. “The boy, or whomever my Mother was arguing with, threatened to go to the Emperor with his knowledge and I distinctly remember Mother daring him to with the assurance that the Emperor would side with Mother. The other person just laughed, like he wasn't to be cowed by such a threat. He said that the Emperor would find ways to ensure she was kept in line.”

He chewed his lip. “I didn't hear anything else after that, your sister found me and pulled me away, saying that whatever audience my Mother had with her guest was for her ears alone. I don't think Cornelia knew whom Mother was talking to either, but I also knew she was impressionable back then so followed the rules and admired my mother greatly.”

“So when Sir Lorne rescued you and Nunnally...”

“I was suspicious in the days we were kept captive. The...kidnappers didn't say much, but there was mentions of rewards, keeping the Emperor happy and making sure that the 'commoner whore' learned her lesson. I wondered if we had been kidnapped as part of that retaliation against Mother to make sure she was kept in line or something like that.”

Euphie frowned, but didn't say anything and so he continued. “When Sir Lorne came, I was immediately suspicious. I didn't know if he was going to kill or torture us. He offered a rescue and even then I didn't believe him until I made sure Nunnally was safe first. That if he was willing to put his life on the line for her, then he was to be trusted. Why would the Scythe of Britannia rescue us? Why would the Knight of Two do such a thing?”

He smiled, a little bitter. “I extracted a counter oath from the Knight of Two so I could study him, Euphie. I didn't trust him and made sure that he would be assigned to our family in the aftermath by making some arguments towards Schneizel. I wanted to make sure that if there was any potential of retaliation from the Emperor for _not_ protecting Mother from this attempt or preventing our kidnapping then I would have an insurance against such a thing from the Knight of Two _and_ be able to figure out why he had been sent in the first place.”

“What changed?” Euphie was always quick on the uptake and Lelouch smiled bitterly.

“Nunnally...” he replied with a sad smile. “Always her. She trusted him blindly, without care and without a fault. How was I, her brother, to not be influenced by that? How could I let my guard down and trust him in the end?” He tapped the end of his fork against the plate absently. Considering both of their upbringings, the motion was highly rude in terms of dining etiquette, but Lelouch didn't care. It was late at night and there was barely anyone there save for the lurking shadow that Lelouch knew had followed him and Euphie – but the shadow was harmless.

“Sir Kavan Lorne fulfilled his promise to me admirably and there was no fault to be found in his actions. Nunnally kept smiling after all that had happened and he made sure that she would not want for anything.” He remembered Nunnally's cheer, she was an innocent six-year-old and he truly had hoped she would not remember any of their ordeal. Her cheer had even brought happiness to their recovering mother and that was something so precious that he knew he had to keep forever.

“I remember,” Euphie replied quietly, bringing his gaze to her that he did not know he had turned from. “She made everyone happier. She even made your sadness and anger go away from time to time.”

Lelouch nodded silently. He took on the burden of their captivity, just so he could preserve her innocent smile. “Sir Lorne kept his promise and oath to me until the very end even as Trespasser killed him.”

He looked through his lashes to see Euphie studying him for a long moment before a soft smile appeared on her lips. In that instant, he knew she had read the deeper meaning behind his unusual oath and relationship with the previous Knight of Two. “I am sure Sir Lorne was glad to have a son like you...”

Lelouch chuckled quietly, relaxing a little. “If not contentious at times.”

Euphie laughed lightly. “You wouldn't be you, Lelouch, if you didn't show them kindness as well as to push the buttons of those you cared for just to test them and to show your care for them underneath it all.”

Lelouch smiled faintly at her assessment as she reached over to shut off the buzzing object and pocketed it.

“Thank you, for telling me,” she said looking at him.

“Nunnally's smile through everything, including Trespasser is what kept me going for a long time. That she could try to find some way to comfort those around her, even at the expense of her own pain...” he trailed off as he sighed. He missed her terribly now, after everything. The scare with Suzaku in the aftermath of Yamarashi threw a lot of things into sharp context.

As much as he was scared to lose Suzaku, he also knew that it was highly unfair to their partnership and friendship if he was to do the same to Suzaku with what he did with Nunnally and the Knight of Two. That was what his best friend had been trying to get through to him. But a part of him yearned to protect Suzaku much in the same way he protected Nunnally. He didn't want to lose him. He loved him too much.

He sighed again and nodded towards the shadow lurking in at the edges of the mess hall. “Cornelia's work?”

“And Schneizel's,” Euphie replied. “Gino's been assigned to me while I choose a Knight.”

Lelouch was rather curious as to why the Knight was assigned to Euphie, but supposed with Calares' arrest, then the Knight's original assignment was fulfilled. It was perhaps more than likely a coincidence that Cornelia was still here due to Mammoth Apostle and Vincent Gloucester's arrivals to help with Yamarashi. Cornelia probably insisted, the first time she had seen her sister in person and Schneizel so happened to be nearby in order to help facilitate.

“You're taking it calmly,” he stated, echoing the last time they had chatted about her lack of a Knight.

“It gives me some more time to pick,” Euphie shrugged. “Besides, Gino is nice, if a little bit enthusiastic in his own way.”

Lelouch shrugged. He didn't really know the Knight of Three that well, but considering he had seen him and Suzaku playing checkers when he had woken up, he supposed the Knight was of a friendly sort if not a bit awkward around non-royals. Gino's attempt to greet him back in Anchorage clearly showed he was not used to how civilians acted.

“Let me know if there is anything I can do to help...” Lelouch knew while Euphie was perhaps not too bothered by the fact that she was now officially assigned a temporary Knight, there was a part of her that more than likely still rebelled at that notion.

Euphie laughed lightly again. “I will.” She set her fork down. “Come on, if you're done with your meal, let's get cake and go tease Suzaku with it.”

Lelouch sighed, caving into her request. “Fine...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lelouch's extended backstory: Obviously Marianne survived V.V.'s assassination attempt in this continuity, but whether or not it was V.V. who tried to assassinate Marianne is another question. I have some notes on this that I'll address after this arc is done in my liner notes section, but I also am exploring this storyline later in the story, so the whole thing won't be spelled out until later.


	21. The Cultists Arc - Part VI

“You're looking comfortable,” were Lelouch's first words out of his mouth. He finished saluting his older half-brother in what used to be Marshal Calares' office.

Schneizel merely raised an eyebrow at his informal address but Lelouch ignored the look. There was nothing short of grounding or even reprimanding him that his brother could do after the last two weeks. Harassment, assault, grounding, followed by rescinding of said grounding, then waiting out the days until a kaiju finally attacked to Suzaku getting injured, his meltdown, and now...this.

March was shaping up to be a rather interesting month and it had certainly – in the old Britannian saying, 'come in like a lion.' He hoped it went out like a lamb, but knowing his luck, something would come up that would dominate the headlines once more. So the fact that he was being rather informal and a little bit borderline insubordinate towards his older brother was perhaps a way to relieve stress.

"Still not my idea, but circumstances dictate the sudden need for an office,” Schneizel replied with a genial smile that did not reach his eyes.

Lelouch made a small noise that could have constituted an agreement if not for the clear disbelief in his tone. He waited for the temporary Marshal to state the reason he had been summoned from Suzaku's bedside. He supposed the saving grace was that Dr. Peralta allowed him to stay and sleep next to his friend for now, though he suspected the excuse of the ghost Drift wouldn't fly much longer.

“Calares and the four guards loyal to him were assassinated during Yamarashi's attack,” Schneizel did not mince words. “We discovered his body when the guards that were supposed to do a wellness check every hour found him, ironically, garroted much like Gipsy Danger did with Yamarashi.”

“The cameras malfunctioned?”

Schneizel nodded. “We're looking into that particular vulnerability.”

Lelouch knew there was nothing else to be said, but the fact that Schneizel did not admitted that no one saw the assassin coming meant his brother was worried. “You assigned the Knight of Three to Euphie,” he stated.

“Yes,” his older brother laced his fingers together and rested his nose on the webbing created, but light purple eyes looked up at him, sharply. “And the Knights of Two to you and Ranger Kururugi.”

Lelouch stilled. “What.”

“The Knights of Two will be assigned to you and Ranger Kururugi for your own-”

“No,” Lelouch shook his head. “I refuse.”

“You cannot refuse this one, Lelouch-”

“I refuse on principal then!” he slashed the air with his hand. “I do not want a Knight, and _most certainly_ , not the Knights of Two-”

“This has nothing to do with your previous association with the Knight of Two-”

“This has _everything_ to do with it and you assigning me a Knight-” Lelouch gritted his teeth. “Schneizel, I'm a civilian! Suzaku is Japanese! You can't assign a Knight, or Knights of the Round to us! The Emperor, the scandal-”

“I am,” Schneizel's purple eyes became flinty. “And I will.”

Lelouch shook his head wordlessly. “I won't accept it-”

“You will. I will make it an order and even if you are a _civilian_ , you are beholden to the rules of a lawful citizen of Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge.”

Lelouch growled under his breath, knowing that he didn't have a choice if it was put into those words. Instead, he settled for a dark look at his older half-brother. “Why? What warrants us getting a Knight-” He stopped abruptly as his thoughts coalesced together. “Something else happened, didn't it?” Schneizel was silent, but Lelouch continued as if he was about to speak. He stared at the other man with his head tilted slightly. “The assassin went after _you_...”

“Six hours after we found Calares,” Schneizel replied shortly. There was no emotion on the other man's face nor in his tone.

“Kanon?” Lelouch asked.

A thin brittle smile appeared on the corners of the Second Prince's lips. “As expected.”

Lelouch filed away the insight gained from the answer. Schneizel was _not_ happy that Kanon had executed his duties as an unofficial knight. Lelouch vowed to pull that card of calling his brother a hypocrite towards their own arguments about knighting Suzaku and so forth – perhaps very soon. For now he softened his gaze and nodded towards Schneizel. “I hope he recovers soon.”

The glimmerings of gratefulness and perhaps a hint of affection passed through Schneizel's eyes and the brief nod he gave in return.

“However,” Lelouch continued, sharpening his own voice, “this does not mean that Suzaku and myself need a Knight-”

“Indulge me then,” Schneizel growled in return. “I will not have the four of us in one Shatterdome wandering around without adequate protection.”

“Then why don't you take the Knights of Two yourself?” he replied bluntly. It was harsh and cruel to use Kanon's lack of presence against Schneizel, but Lelouch knew he could not show any type of mercy to Schneizel, not in this type of argument. It was what made them push the other's buttons as intellectual rivals. Nothing to them was sacred, except for perhaps Marianne's memory. That particular one Schneizel had yet to touch, probably out of the massive amount of respect he knew his older half-brother had for Marianne The Flash.

“I have other methods and means at my disposal, Lelouch-”

“And the arrogance to think that you may not be targeted again? Sure,” Lelouch scoffed. “You're the royal.”

“And you're my little brother,” Schneizel replied, “my favorite even.”

“Flattery doesn't work on me, especially from you,” Lelouch shot back. It was technically a bit of a lie – when he had been young, before everything that happened, he loved getting praised for figuring out strategy or whenever he was able to make Schneizel forfeit in chess games. His brother had merely smiled, but that smile was a victory in his mind.

Schneizel lowered his hands and pulled a piece of paper from the slightly cluttered desk. It was amazing at how put together his brother was, that one of his vices was a cluttered desk. Lelouch could see the official seal of the Emperor on it with the three Knight's names and the royal they were technically supposed to protect.

“It only says Euphie,” he stated bluntly.

“And gives me, the Prime Minister, authorization to utilize the three Knights of the Rounds as I see fit. So I am officially assigning the Knights of Two to you and Ranger Kururugi. Knight of Three to Euphie.”

“How long?” There was no argument Lelouch could make now that he saw the official orders.

“Until Ranger Kururugi is knighted,” Schneizel stared at him with an even look. Lelouch cursed silently. His brother still was adhering to the agreement they made earlier in the year. He honestly had hoped that Schneizel had forgotten about it or was open to making amends to the agreement, which would allow Lelouch to further his own pieces arrayed against his brother's metaphoric board.

“You haven't officially introduced us to the others except for Dr. Asplund,” he countered. It was weak, and the two of them knew it.

“And I will in a scant few minutes. The others are in the war room, waiting for you,” Schneizel replied.

Lelouch stared at his brother some more before realizing something. “This is a distraction-”

“No, consider this a reprieve while Ranger Kururugi is in recovery.” An elegantly gloved hand gestured towards him. “You need a distraction. The files on Calares' computer are the only thing we can work with now that Calares is dead.”

“I don't need your coddling. I'm not ten anymore-”

“And you've never needed it since you were ten, Lelouch,” Schneizel interrupted him. “But I know you, my dear brother. I have eyes and noticed that when it comes to yourself, you tend to think of others and not know what to do with yourself in such situations. You have a guilt complex and the only way to distract you from your own thoughts and worrying about others, is to present a puzzle to you. I offer this to you.”

“With strings,” he groused, but did not deny his brother's assessment. He supposed he was to be grateful on some level that Schneizel was one of the very few people to understand him, especially in the aftermath of the kidnapping and his mother's near death. This was a distraction, but he also knew he couldn't hover over Suzaku's shoulder without possibly annoying both of them. Plus the times that Suzaku coughed – so deeply and painfully it just sent him nearly into a spiral of panic and fear.

Schneizel merely looked at him for a long moment before the corner of his lips quirked up in a mimicry of what could have passed as a smile, but looked quite bitter. “Everything in life has its price. Perhaps one day, we do not have to wear such masks, but today is not that day.”

Childish thinking and something he shouldn't have to be reminded of, that was the message sent and Lelouch shrugged again. “Fine, Knights of Two and the files. But if a kaiju attacks before all of this, I'm not agreeing to their full protection, Schneizel. That is inherently unfair to myself and Suzaku, or even to Cornelia and Guilford. I also don't want them shadowing me or Suzaku during our leave.”

“I hope there won't be another attack before Ranger Kururugi is knighted, but I will agree to that portion of your request. Gipsy Danger will be allowed to sortie and fight as she pleases. Your leaves are also your own. Your commitment to fighting the kaiju is an inspiration, Lelouch.”

“We need to make sure that those we can protect are protected. No one else dies on our watch,” he stared at his brother and saw him nod solemnly.

“I'm glad we could come to an agreement.”

* * *

Suzaku was discharged from the infirmary three weeks after Yamarashi and cleared for light duty. It mostly consisted of working in and around Gipsy Danger, but no morning calisthenics, Kwoon sparring or forms. Stretching was allowed as were walks instead of the morning runs. Lelouch could see Suzaku's face fall at the restrictions, but the doctor said that they would evaluate every three days to ensure that his bronchitis did not return nor any new infection would take hold in his lungs. It took three more weeks for the bronchitis to clear Suzaku's lungs, leaving him with drier coughs that occasionally still sounded like he was wheezing, but Dr. Peralta's careful ministrations assured that Suzaku was healing from the destructive ravaging of his lungs from inhaling kaiju blue.

The doctor explained to them that essentially what the blue did was purge a lot of the good cells in Suzaku's lungs and therefore, allow viruses and bacteria to filter in without any sort of protection. It was why kaiju blue was so deadly – not only was it toxic, it opened the door to things like the common cold killing a person. Suzaku needed to carefully build his immunity back up – to which the doctor had added it was because his partner was in such fit physical shape and because the blue didn't kill a lot of his good cells, he could be back to normal in two weeks time. A week later than the predicted month of recovery, but it was a victory nonetheless.

During the day, they occupied their time by dividing Suzaku's time with Euphie and working on Gipsy Danger with Gino helping since he was guarding Euphie. Suzaku was definitely happier working with his hands and crawling around the conn-pod. The rest of the day was strategizing in the war room with Lelouch, Cornelia, Guilford, the twins and the rest of the First Class on video conference.

At night, they cuddled before sleeping. Their first attempt at sex the day after Suzaku was discharged was a mild disaster. It was clear that they couldn't go at it like they used to until Suzaku was back into shape, just mere kisses had left him very breathless and their first attempt at coupling sent him into a coughing fit. Lelouch felt mildly embarrassed, but he also knew his partner felt it even more and so tried his best to soothe him by just rubbing circles on his back.

Subsequent nights were reduced to light kisses, cuddles and Lelouch more than once staying up to read in bed much to Suzaku's annoyance. It seemed the three weeks he had been confined to the infirmary left Lelouch with a habit of studying his PDA continuously until his eyes drooped to sleep and wrecked his sleep habits to not wake until late in the morning. But to Lelouch, it was an interesting turn in the newsfeeds. The rumors of trying to label their relationship all but died when the PPDC reported that Suzaku was injured with kaiju blue in Yamarashi's battle.

Sympathy poured in from all over, including the Britannian media. Many turned their gazes upon the victims of kaiju blue, but the reports focused a lot on Trespasser and Hundun, along with scientific advancements about kaiju blue and recovery efforts of patients diagnosed with it. Tohdoh relayed to them reports in Japan about how there were daily prayers at the shrines to Suzaku's health and recovery. It was clear that Suzaku's injury on the heels of the death of another Japanese Jaeger pilot had shaken the nation.

Suzaku got some satisfaction out of the news and Lelouch could only figure it was in its own way, a victory against Genbu Kururugi's words of sacrifice and war versus the compassion and care of people.

But the Britannian media's reaction piqued Lelouch's interest. To him, it was a oddity as it felt like a reprieve, a truce. Lelouch had wondered if it was because of the inherent stigma of Kaori Jessop's death so close to Yamarashi's attack and then Suzaku's injury. He gave them until late April before the rumors would start back up again.

Schneizel finally left the Shatterdome in early April, appointing Duke Dustin Krieger, a member of the nobility of Euro-Britannia and a former Knight of the Round to the post. It was an unusual move, but one that seemed to please the Gages and a lot of Team Romeo Blue. It turned out that many of them served under Krieger's battalion while they had fought overseas. The Britannian media had a field day with the news, many of them not deigning to pay much attention to Euro-Britannia unless it had been about the war.

Krieger had been Grand Duke Velaines' second-in-command commanding the Euro-Britannian forces when he had been offered the PPDC position. As the former Knight of Seven, he had been in charge of a swath of the Emperor's forces in Euro-Britannia before retiring from the Knights of the Round after years of honorable service and granted his title of Duke. He continued his service to Britannia as Velaines' second-in-command. The four Holy Orders in Euro-Britannia were known to the public as all of their leaders were at one point, high ranking nobles or former Knights of the Round with honorable discharge and service records.

Krieger was an older man in his late fifties with dark skin, a sharp pointed chin, salt and pepper goatee and hair to match it. He looked every inch a cold noble with his strong features and bright hazel eyes. His voice was soft and gentle, almost genial at times, but with the slight undercurrent of command in it whenever he spoke. It was an interesting sort of charisma that Lelouch immediately understood why a man like Krieger would pique the attention of his older half-brother and his preference for _unusual_ favorites like Kennedy, Kanon, or Asplund. Krieger mere made his commands like suggestions, but ones that promised they would not like any other options presented.

“...And when was the last time the two of you Drifted?” Krieger asked, staring at them with a simple look. The tips of his fingers were pushed together, but it seemed more of habit than of anything else based on Lelouch's observation for the last twenty minutes or so since they had reported to the new Shatterdome Marshal.

“Simulations, sir?” Suzaku cleared his throat. “Sorry, sir.”

The other man waved away the apology. “Simulations.”

“Not since pre-deployment against Yamarashi,” Suzaku replied.

“Dr. Peralta has cleared you for light duty, Ranger Kururugi,” Krieger looked at him, “and yet the two of you have not simulated since?”

“Sir, that would require-”

“Merely Drifting does not require physical activity,” Krieger looked at Lelouch for a moment before his eyes turned to take the two of them in. “I'd like the two of you to begin simulations starting tomorrow morning. I have here reports from your team that they have been simulating Yamarashi and Ragnarok scenarios since the battle. Perhaps it is a good reminder to continue to bring yourselves up back up to fighting form.”

“Sir, I've been helping Euphie-er, Chief li Britannia-”

“I know who Euphie is, continue,” Krieger said simply.

Lelouch could feel Suzaku a little caught off guard, but continued his previous answer. “I've been helping Euphie in the morning-”

“And I am sure she can spare your help every other day you and your partner will be simulating.”

“Sir...may we ask why are you insistent? Would it not be prudent to wait until Suzaku is fully recovered-”

“While it is normal axiom to think that the body recover faster than the mind, in this case, the mind will recover faster than the body. Repetitive and familiar motions will make recovery a lot easier. This has been observed on and off the battlefield.”

“Sir...” Lelouch didn't know what to make of the advice. It was sound thinking, but somehow, he wanted to resist it and he did not know why. He pushed past his discomfort – Krieger was a favorite of Schneizel's and he would have to work with him much like he worked with Kennedy in Anchorage – and nodded once. “May I ask if our afternoons will be taken up by simulations?”

“No,” Krieger shook his head. “I am peripherally aware of a certain investigation happening, but I have not asked for details yet nor do I wish to know of what is happening at this moment. I will request a report when the time comes. Your afternoons are free for this unless other circumstances dictate a change.”

Now Krieger had really intrigued Lelouch and he stared at the other man. He was _willfully_ excluding himself from the cultist investigation, but to what end, he did not know.

The other man suddenly barked and Lelouch realized it was a laugh. Hazel eyes met his purple ones and Krieger shook his head. “Do not give me such a look that I have seen from the Second Prince whenever he wished to puzzle out a mystery, Ranger. My reasons will be revealed in due time.”

Lelouch's lips curled up into a slight smile as he also felt Suzaku's faint amusement. He acknowledged the reprimand with a brief nod of his head.

“Rangers,” Krieger lowered his hands and grabbed a folded piece of paper before extending it towards them. “Please input these codes into your door. These have been guaranteed swept and authorized by the Second Prince. I will also commend the two of you on a fine piece of technical work for whomever had disabled those codes.”

“Sir,” Lelouch took the paper, flipping it open to see only four other codes. He took a gamble. “May we ask-”

“A member of the cleaning staff that Schneizel and myself have personally vetted, my own code per PPDC protocol, one for the Knights of Two, and one for Dr. Peralta to tell at her discretion to staff members if there is an emergency.”

Krieger looked at them with a simple gaze. “I am of the mind to tell the two of you that I am not a man who deals well in the intricacies of Court and of the politics. Take that for what you will if you are inclined to believe it,” the man smiled faintly, “part of the reasons of my resignation from my former station as a Round. But know this: you will not be part of any schemes that I will be enacting within this Shatterdome.”

Lelouch frowned. “That is a contradictory statement if I've ever heard of one, sir.”

One eyebrow rose up at him and for a second he thought he had overstepped his bounds before Krieger's smile grew a little. “It is.” The man said nothing else and Lelouch found himself even more intrigued by his lack of explanation. Most of the nobles he knew always loved bragging about their plans. Krieger acted in a manner similar to Schneizel – no wonder his older brother liked the man and considered him a favorite. Yet, there was no sense of danger that Lelouch could instinctively feel from the former Knight. In fact, it was the opposite – Krieger invited trust; the soft commanding voice and the implicit trust that came with it.

It explained the Gages and Team Romeo Blue's approval of Krieger taking over the Pendragon Shatterdome. Yet Lelouch nodded carefully – blind trust in the viper's nest of Pendragon, Shatterdome or not, was inherently a dangerous position to be in.

“Thank you sir,” he placed the slip of paper into his pocket and straightened.

Krieger nodded before his reaching out to his keyboard with a hand and it flew briefly over the keys. “I've set up a Drift simulation and have just sent an alert to Technician Fenette to ready her crew for tomorrow at 0900.” He looked at them before reaching over behind his desk and positing two small boxes on his desk.

“These, are for you, Rangers,” Krieger looked satisfied.

“Sir?” Suzaku murmured as they both leaned over to pick up the boxes. They opened them and saw that it contained a pin in each, both of them exactly the same, but with the Greek letter of Zeta. The metal was a light burnished brass color, polished to an extreme shine and the small symbol was of a black emboss that complemented the color.

“This should have been done immediately in the aftermath of Yamarashi's defeat, after the Ranger Protocols time period has passed, but with all that was happening, well, on behalf of the PPDC I am very proud to present to the two of you your very own emblem of your defeat of Yamarashi. There is normally a formal ceremony, some pomp and circumstances, but with current security protocols, we'll have to forgo that.”

“It's a...kill pin...isn't it?” Suzaku said, picking the small pin from the box and staring at it. “Like kill markers painted onto war bombers right?”

“Yes it is, Ranger,” Krieger's smile seemed rueful. “And, this also authorizes you to ask the technicians to paint the kill marker on Gipsy Danger too.”

Lelouch raised an eyebrow and glanced at Suzaku who looked surprise too. They both didn't realize that it was a thing...having not seen it on Romeo Blue nor on either Knights' KMFs. He glanced down at the badge again. Zeta was the sixth letter in the Greek alphabet.

“Sir...Zeta is number six. There's been-”

“Ten so far,” Krieger nodded. “The PPDC didn't start counting kills until Karloff.”

Lelouch frowned as he took in the pin. He had never seen such a thing even though he knew Knights of the Round or even Knights had kills themselves. They were all identifiable by uniforms or little accent marks on their uniforms or Knightmares. Kill markers weren't a thing.

“The Europeans were the ones to suggest this,” Krieger shrugged. “I saw it more often than not on the Knightmares and the uniforms of their pilots since they were more for equality than anything else. Since the PPDC is striving for a similar military outlook, it perhaps is an apt way to discern which Ranger and their team has made a kill and which has not.”

“May we ask your thoughts on it?” Lelouch stared at the new Marshal.

“You may,” the man nodded, but didn't say anything else.

A perfect politician's answer if any and he inclined his head slightly in return.

“Do you have any suggestions to wearing this?” Suzaku instead, looked at the pin before staring at Krieger.

“Dress uniforms or the casual ones, I was told,” Krieger replied. “I believe Colonel Briesgau of Cherno Alpha may have a better understanding of protocols, if any, that apply to this. There is no formal documentation for this at the moment since we've only had six kaiju killed so far.”

“Thank you sir,” Suzaku nodded.

Krieger looked at them as they pocketed the pins. “Dismissed Rangers.”

“Sir,” they both straightened, saluted and left the Marshal's office. Outside, they saw Bruce Gage, waiting for them, leaning casually against the wall.

Over the course of the last few weeks since the Knights of Two had been assigned to Lelouch and Suzaku, they managed to talk the twins down to only one of them following them during their duty hours instead of both. Lelouch had reasoned that it was inherently unfair to their team for any training or repair of Romeo Blue if they monopolized both twins over Gipsy Danger and both of them had reluctantly agreed. He also got them to agree that the times Suzaku was with Euphie, he didn't need a guard since he technically would be with Gino and those times. Lelouch found himself in the war room idly talking with Dr. Asplund and released the Knights from their duties then until one of them inevitably wandered by to drag him to lunch.

“Simulation, tomorrow at 0900,” Lelouch said to Bruce who nodded.

“Did he say how long?”

“No, just Drifting simulation. Something about the mind healing faster than the body,” Lelouch didn't quite get the idiom.

“Ah,” Bruce apparently did as he nodded.

“Something we should know about?” he eyed the Knight.

“No, but Krieger loves mixing up his idioms,” Bruce shrugged. “He did it to us when we served under his battalion. Some of our commanding officers thought he was dottering and senile, but they eventually shut up about it when his idioms proved true.”

“Idioms can't be proven true...they're...idioms...”

“Seriously, don't ask. All I know is that they've been proven true,” Bruce held up his hands.

Suzaku coughed, clearing his throat before speaking. His coughs sounded a lot less hoarse, more wheezily dry, but it was also less frequent and didn't make Lelouch's chest feel distinctly uncomfortable. “What can you tell us about him?”

“He's fair,” Bruce scratched the scraggly of hair that he had been growing into a beard or a goatee. It looked more like a goatee at the moment because of the lack of thickness to it. Trevin wasn't inclined to grow one so for the last five days, everyone took advantage of the fact that they were _finally_ able to tell the twins apart. The effect was not missed on the twins as Bruce threatened to shave his scruff while Trevin contemplated growing his own.

Amanda had sarcastically threatened to geld them with their actual working, knight-given swords.

“Gives everyone a chance, even the lowliest of Knightmare pilots. He cares for the titles of nobles, but gives those who weren't nobles like myself and Bruce a chance to prove ourselves, a chance to advance. But fuck up once, and you're on his shit list, noble or not.”

“How do you know you've messed up?” Suzaku asked.

“Oh, it's obvious,” Bruce shook his head. “Amanda's on his shit list.”

“What?” They both stared at Bruce.

“Not noticeable from your standpoint since it's a Romeo Blue thing, but yeah...Amanda's been on his list since the days of service. She messed up the second time she was deployed as a spotter and the target for the shot got away. We didn't know what it was about until Trev and I got our ranks and titles and did some digging. Turns out Krieger did a _lot_ of legwork to make that shot happen and it was months down the drain for both intelligence and all of his work.”

The two of them winced. That sounded really bad and Bruce nodded. “Yeah, we like him, but Amanda's been trying to get back into his good graces.”

“Why expend the effort?” Lelouch asked before he shook his head. “I mean, normally, it's easy to just call it a wash and not bother with a commanding officer that hates your guts.”

“Krieger's...good, in that sense. He cultivates loyalty and you want to be on his good side. Maybe some do it just because they know he's got influence and power, but mostly because they can see that he means well and he's reliable in any situation.”

Suzaku had a slight smile on his face as he laughed lightly before clearing his throat. “Sounds like someone...but yeah, I can see that.”

Lelouch glanced at his friend as he felt the faint amusing affection across their bond. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bruce nod in agreement. He ignored them, it wasn't his concern whatever inside joke they shared. He knew Bruce spent more time with Suzaku while Trevin spent more time with him.

“Krieger doesn't strike me as a typical Duke,” Lelouch mused. “Some at Court would say that he's been under European influence too much and that he's turned into one of them who preaches equality and democracy.”

“I guess they forget that most of the Holy Orders leaders over there are former Rounds or high ranked nobles,” Bruce shrugged.

“Or exiled,” Lelouch pointed out. “It is one of the few battlefields that is far away enough to potentially get rid of troublesome elements in Pendragon.”

“True,” the Knight agreed. “I liked it there. Some beautiful scenery that you don't get here with all of the construction and city sprawls.” He huffed a breath as they made their way towards the mess hall for lunch. “But I think Krieger was one of the Emperor's first Rounds, if I'm correct, helping him take the throne?”

“Had to be a personal knight then. If the Emperor was a contender for the throne, he had personal Knights. Only when he is given the title of Emperor, do those Knights become Rounds,” Lelouch knew that much of Rounds history. His mother had been made Knight of One _after_ Charles zi Britannia took the throne. He wasn't sure if his mother had helped Charles zi Britannia take the throne, but he remembered the stories told of her helping him _keep_ the throne and her nickname The Flash.

“That makes more sense. Rounds history never made sense to me,” Bruce shook his head as they stopped in front of the mess hall. “Same as usual for the afternoon?”

“We'll see the both of you in the war room,” Lelouch spied Cornelia's voluminous magneta hair already in the mess hall. She was taking full advantage of her temporary posting to Pendragon to sit with Euphie for almost every single meal.

“Thanks, see you then,” Bruce sketched a very casual bow – even though technically neither one of them warranted such a formality – and left them.

Lelouch didn't bother watching the Knight leave to do whatever he did during the break time he normally gave the Knights assigned to him, but he caught Suzaku's lingering look. He sighed and reached out to squeeze his partner's shoulder, knowing that it was both a rare sign of public affection, but also that he understood Suzaku's continued reluctance in having a bodyguard and Knight assigned to them for the last few weeks.

To his surprise, Suzaku reached up and shed his arm instead of squeezing back in affection. He shook his head. “Lelouch, how much longer?”

“Until the audience,” he replied, the same reply he had given the first time Suzaku asked. He refused to say anymore. The question now was how long until an audience before the Emperor. Lesser nobles waited months, even years before they were granted an audience before the Emperor to petition whatever they wanted to petition. The children of the Emperor obviously got priority and Lelouch knew Schneizel could easily bring up the petition to have him reinstated, but the question was now why it was taking so long. Was the delay on Schneizel's end – something that Lelouch knew his brother was capable of cruelly dragging out if he really wanted to – or was the Emperor decidedly ignoring said petition?

His money was on the latter.

No one ever knew what Charles zi Britannia was ever thinking, but surely losing two of his Rounds – technically one – to babysit a former Prince was not part of the Emperor's plans. Then again, the Gages were now part-time Knightmare pilots and executors of the Emperor's will and full-time PPDC Rangers. Or it could be the other way around; his head spun from the wild theories and thoughts that had been swirling in him since they were assigned the Gages as their bodyguards and Knights.

Suzaku nodded, a bit of resignation in his posture as he coughed and absently rubbed his chest a little. “It's honestly good training for me, in a weird sort of way,” Suzaku said quietly, “but I can see why you've been irritated by this whole thing.”

Lelouch grimaced, reminded of Suzaku's pledge towards him in the halls of Jaeger Academy. “I...don't want to lose you,” he muttered quietly. “You're my partner and equal...”

“And you're mine too,” Suzaku turned and looked at him with a wan smile. “But the wait-”

“Yeah.”

“I overheard Guilford talking with the Gages a couple of days ago that you give them a lot of breaks and leeway and it's not exactly protocol to do so?”

“An exhausted Knight is useless. A distracted Knight is even more useless. They have their own Jaeger and business to attend to,” Lelouch waved away the complaint. Guilford had no ground to stand on, considering there was the Glaston Knights behind him and their J-Tech Chief Sir Darlton who was another of Cornelia's Knights.

Suzaku huffed a quiet laugh before clearing his throat. “Do you think that what you're doing is also delaying the audience?”

Lelouch shrugged. “It would be a very petty reason. Maybe Schneizel does see it as an unofficial training for you to be my Knight, but it's groundless.”

“So, the Emperor then?”

“More than likely.”

Suzaku was quiet for a moment before chewing his lower lip. He looked like he wanted to say something, but then the feeling of consternation passed through their bond before he shook his head and gestured for them to head in. Lelouch tried to put the feeling of trust and warmth back and received a small smile thrown back at him in return as they entered the mess hall for lunch. He was glad Suzaku didn't voice his concern, trusting to leave whatever plans they had all in Lelouch's hands.

* * *

One of the first acts as Marshal – and generating a lot of goodwill towards his acceptance by all the Jaeger teams stationed in Pendragon – was giving a ten-day leave for all teams. For Lelouch, Suzaku and Euphie, they were able to get clearance for Suzaku to take his leave in Japan, ostensibly to visit Tohdoh and Nagisa at the Tokyo Shatterdome – but in reality for Euphie to finally meet Nunnally after all these years. True to his word, Schneizel allowed the pilot pair of Gipsy Danger to take their leave without having the Knights of Two following them. Euphie also managed to persuade Schneizel to allow her to take her leave without Gino hanging around, stating that she would be perfectly safe in the Tokyo Shatterdome.

Suzaku also received medical clearance to fly to Tokyo, though Dr. Peralta asked that Suzaku wear a medical mask during his flight to lessen the risk of airborne contagion in an enclosed environment. And so the three flew to Tokyo, not on the same flight as many of their teammates that were from the Tokyo area or Ashford Academy, but aware that there was a chance they would run into them while overseas.

But Lelouch did not quite care if they ran into their friends; he was just glad to see Nunnally after all this time. Yamarashi put a lot of things into sharp relief and one of them was making sure that his sister was safe and sound.


	22. The Cultists Arc - Tokyo Annex I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're taking a quick break from the family/political drama that is Pendragon and headed to Tokyo with Suzaku and company!

Suzaku suppressed a yawn as he blinked his eyes against the neon-bright lights of Tokyo at night. However, it was a moot point as out of the corner of his eye, he saw Euphie stretch and yawn, more than likely feeling as exhausted as he did. The saving grace was that they would soon reach their hotel. The thought of a spacious, warm bed was enticing.

“Good flight?” Nagisa spoke up as she drove.

“I've never flown on a civilian aircraft before, so it was pretty fun,” Euphie shook her head slightly to keep herself awake as she smiled towards Nagisa. “I liked it better than private jets.”

“Really?” Nagisa sounded surprised.

Euphie nodded. “The people are nicer,” she replied in a simple tone and Suzaku had a flash of insight. “And I got to meet new people too.”

“All I remember is you asking Suzaku about the pods,” Lelouch groused from the front passenger seat as he propped himself up with an elbow looking out of the window. Suzaku grinned ruefully.

“That was fun though,” he turned to Euphie who smiled.

“Who knew they can do that? I mean the controls and the little luxuries added to them. It makes the long flight so much easier too!”

Suzaku laughed lightly before clearing his throat a little as he felt a tickle of the leftover remnants of bronchitis rise up from deep in his chest. He did not miss how Nagisa's eyes flashed towards him from the driver's rearview mirror nor the slight stiffening in Lelouch's posture before he relaxed.

It was getting easier every day, to breath normally and to return to the routine he missed since he had breathed in kaiju blue. He had been finally cleared to do the full breadth of his morning calisthenics during leave and hoped to take full advantage to work himself back up into fighting form. He missed calisthenics since Hydra Corinthian's media blow up, then Yamarashi taking away the opportunity.

“If I knew the two of you were going to chat it up during the flight, I would have switched seats,” Lelouch turned his head slightly to eye them. His expressive violet eyes were soft, a far cry from the hardened worry that had plagued them for a while since Yamarashi. Suzaku knew his partner was still fighting past his own fears. Like him, Lelouch seemed to be getting better and better as the days continued and Yamarashi was slowly put behind them.

They've already did light simulations, getting rid of any RABITs that might have come up between them. Their first simulation was a sprawl of memories and flashes of Lelouch's kidnapping and rescue by the Knight of Two, Sir Kavan Lorne. Their second one was watching the same bloodbath that Lorne had employed in the escape back to his Knightmare, the Ector. Their third one was a mishmash of watching Lorne usher Lelouch and Nunnally to the safety of the Aires Villa bunker and the death of the Knight at Trespasser's hand followed quickly by flashes of when Marianne had died with Nunnally pinned underneath her Ganymede.

In each one, Suzaku could only hold his partner in his arms, unable to say anything soothing as he rode out the wrenching emotions with Lelouch. The Psych Analysts that had been assigned to them after Yamarashi had concluded that what used to be able to not trigger any RABITs for Lelouch seemed to be genuinely affected by what had happened with Yamarashi – that is, the safety and security of the conn-pod had broken the layer and illusion of trust in the technology for Lelouch.

To his partner, _nothing_ was safe anymore. Everything was a threat and so Lelouch needed to know and relearn to trusted again. Suzaku had the idea to include Lelouch in the repairs of Gipsy's conn-pod and suggested it to Krieger and Euphie. Krieger agreed to stop the simulations for a few days to allow Lelouch to help with repairs.

Though Lelouch didn't like crawling into the innards like he had, the familiar routine of checking through and tweaking the specs for the conn-pod for a few days straight seemed to work, distracting him and enabling him to see that their conn-pod was in prime condition. They simulated a fourth time and managed to get past all three RABITs and actually finish the puzzles and the fifth one where they had no RABITs. Lelouch admitted that he felt better knowing that he had a big hand in Gipsy's conn-pod re-calibration.

“Don't be a spoilsport, Lelouch,” Euphie lightly toed the front passenger seat a little, making Lelouch shoot a look at them.

“Don't make me go back there to separate the two of you troublemakers,” he threatened with a grin.

Suzaku rolled his eyes and even saw Nagisa shake her head at the antics. “Thanks for picking us up, _Nagisa-san_ ,” he caught her look. “We didn't want to be a bother-”

“It's never a bother. It's quite timely. We're finishing up a round of leave for all of our Jaeger teams here too. Coyote Tango is due to return in about three days,” Nagisa shook her head. “So the timing is good.”

“How are they settling in?” he asked.

“Very well. The media is still a bit cautious about them, but the Beckets have garnered themselves a young fanbase. Many of the teenagers love Raleigh's enthusiasm and Yancy seems to have been cast as the older _nii-san_ who dotes on his younger brother.”

“Aww,” Euphie cooed quietly. “Though I did hear that it's quite a natural dynamic.”

“It is,” Nagisa agreed. “Sergio reported that Raleigh attempted your Term 1 spar record, Suzaku. Came out a mess of bruises like you did, but didn't last as long. Yancy was very livid about that one considering it was with _Shiba-sensei_ , the new fightmaster the PPDC recruited for the Academy. But Yancy currently being coached by Colonel Briesgau to rein that part in. It wouldn't do them good to bring that into the Drift.”

“How's everyone else doing?”

“Well as everything else can be,” Nagisa replied, “Dr. Lightcap is based in the K-Watch station on Oahu. We've moved Duc there for observation. The rest of Tacit Ronin are still in Tokyo, but there's talk that they'll move to Nagasaki just to get away from it all.”

“He hasn't woken up yet?”

“No, but Dr. Lightcap is still doing some experimental therapy. It's promising, but we can't be sure.”

“We'll be sure to visit when we hit that leg of our trip,” Suzaku promised. He saw Euphie and Lelouch nod in agreement.

“That's very kind of you. I'll let the doctor know in advance-”

“We leave for Hawai'i in five days,” Suzaku said.

Nagisa nodded again before she slowed the car down as she pulled up to their hotel. It was the same international one that he and Lelouch had stayed in during their media tour – friendly to the PPDC – but also very discreet.

“Do the three of you have plans for dinner in a few days?”

Suzaku glanced at Lelouch who shook his head. This trip was mainly for his partner to spend as much time with Nunnally as possible so while Suzaku's schedule was mainly free for exploration and to visit old friends, he deferred to Lelouch for majority of the planning.

“Nothing that could be changed,” Lelouch replied.

“Stop by the Shatterdome then. Kyoshiro and I would love to host the three of you for dinner-”

“Nagisa, we couldn't possibly ask-”

“I insist,” she cut Euphie off firmly, glancing back at the two of them. “And it would not be much trouble. We also extend the invitation to visit us in the Shatterdome.”

“Then,” Euphie inclined her head slightly. “Thank you for the kind offer, Nagisa. I'm sure Suzaku will probably take it more than we do, but thank you.”

Nagisa reached into her pocket and pulled out three cards and handed it to them. “We brought these in advance as a small gift for the three of you.”

“ _Nagisa-san!_ ” Suzaku could not believe her generosity as he took a card. He saw Lelouch and Euphie look at them. “They're pre-paid combination cards to ride the subway system and rail lines here. It'll save us on transportation costs considering it is hanami season and it gets busy here. I can explain more tomorrow when we meet up with Milly, Rivalz and Shirley.”

“Thank you again, Nagisa. Really generous of you,” Euphie grinned.

They stepped out of the car, Suzaku hurrying a little faster than normal if not to prevent Nagisa from giving anymore gifts lest he feel completely spoiled. It was very generous of her to pick them up from the airport _and_ given them prepaid cards for the rail lines that ran throughout the city and suburbs. They said their goodbyes and headed in. Lelouch checked in for them, the night manager clearly recognizing them underneath the disguises they wore, but merely smiled.

Suzaku supposed the staff couldn't be faulted considering it was the same exact clothing they had worn the last time they had explored Ueno Park and its surroundings so maybe it was a little distinctive. The only difference was Euphie was wearing a sunhat and the three of them wore tinted glasses in an effort to blend in.

They were given a suite instead of single adjoining rooms this time; mostly to account for Euphie's presence, but also the fact that Lelouch insisted on paying for one with the money they made as Rangers. It was one of the luxuries that Suzaku did not expect – how much money they actually made as Rangers. The base pay was average for a soldier, a little higher because they were Senior Rangers, there were added bonuses of combat, hazard, and the unusual category of psychological. He supposed the latter of the three additional categories was because they were technically experiments in a live lab known as a Jaeger. It shot their salaries to sky-high levels.

There was also the spot bonus given like bounties in the actual killing of a kaiju besides their kill pins. The bonus was paid out to every single member of Gipsy Danger, but Rangers obviously got the lion's share due to the fact that – well, they killed the kaiju. Assists of a kill got bonuses too, but not as much as the ones who did the deed.

Money had never been an issue for Suzaku, but he had been raised with a mentality that emphasized saving over spending and so lived accordingly. He took public transportation to classes and spent money only on kendo gear when it could not be repaired or if something he really wanted caught his eye. It also meant occasionally buying nice presents for Kaguya or his friends on their birthdays, White Day or Christmas.

So for Lelouch to insist that they spend money on a luxury five-star hotel along with first class plane tickets, it baffled him at first, but he understood where his friend was coming from. Lelouch went from extreme wealth to near-poverty and then back to a modest means of income and so considered first class and five-star hotels a luxurious treat whenever he could afford it. Suzaku found that he wasn't too bothered with the luxury of sitting in first class as he enjoyed seeing his friends relax. In this trip, Euphie was utterly fascinated by everything that was _not_ part of royalty life.

Suzaku insisted that all meals on the trip were to be paid by him, no matter what, and Euphie had chimed in that she wanted to contribute, but the two of them had deferred her request, saying that she was their guest and the next time they visited, then she would be paying part of the trip. This first trip for her would be to enjoy herself and not worry about anything.

Nagisa handing them pre-paid rail line cards threw a bit of a wrench into Suzaku's plans, but he knew he couldn't quite do anything about it except to accept it. Paying Nagisa back or attempting to slip her money for the cards would be seen as an insult. He supposed that after dropping Lelouch and Euphie off at Ashford Academy, he would pay a visit to the Shatterdome to thank her and _Tohdoh-sensei_ for their generosity. Plus it would give him time to talk to them about home and other things.

The suite they had been given was one right below the penthouse of the hotel. It had three bedrooms with queen-sized beds in them, with a shared common room, a fully stocked kitchenette, two bathrooms and a balcony that overlooked the city. Lelouch and Euphie immediately dropped their bags and went out to the balcony to look at the cityscape before them.

Suzaku followed at a more leisurely pace, leaning against the opened sliding door as Euphie pointed out all of the lights and famous landmarks she could see. She stopped after a few minutes, taking in the sounds of the city before her before she stretched and yawned again.

“I'm headed into get some sleep,” she announced as she stepped away from the balcony. Suzaku moved from the door to let her in and she smiled at him. “Don't stay up too long you two.”

He nodded and returned her smile before stepping out onto the balcony as she closed the door behind her. Walking over to where Lelouch was leaning against the railing, he stood next to him, letting his forearms rest and curled his hands together. A gentle breeze wafted in the air, blowing small bits of sakura petals this way and that.

“Ashford has their own official hanami viewing party in three days,” Lelouch started quietly. “Do you want to go?”

“It would be beautiful,” Suzaku stated, “especially since Milly says it is similar to the one in Ueno Park. It may be crowded with students and faculty.” The unspoken thought that Lelouch would not be able to quite sit next to Nunnally in such a situation was left hanging in the air. They had not swept the suite for any bugs or cameras and Suzaku knew Lelouch brought the bug diffuser with him this time around instead of the last time they were in Tokyo.

They couldn't take any chances, even with the media furor at a low for now. Lelouch predicted the Britannian media would start up with their rumor mongering around now, in April. Even though they were in Japan, they did not know if there was any one enterprising enough to take a picture of the two of them or record them and sell what they heard or saw to the Britannian media.

“Invite Tohdoh and Nagisa,” Lelouch said, “I'm sure they'd enjoy it.”

Suzaku glanced at his partner. “You sure?” He did not need to know there were glimmerings of a plan there – long too used to the fact that Lelouch's mind worked out millions upon millions of plans and easily discarded and changed them on a whim.

“I'll clear it with Milly,” Lelouch turned and smiled easily and Suzaku laughed lightly. He knew what that meant.

“I'm not wearing a cat costume,” he shook his head. The Britannian holiday of Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve, had been Milly's grand attempt to get Gipsy Danger – and Anchorage Shatterdome – into the holiday spirit by having a costume contest. The Gages went as a pair of Jacks from a deck of cards – fitting for Knights – while Milly forced Suzaku into a cat costume and Lelouch into a very intricate dress that honestly looked good on him. Euphie was given the opposite – a stylish suit with a high-necked cloak that made her look very masculine. Everyone at the Shatterdome had not known that the two royals – ex-royal he could heard Lelouch in his head saying – could cross-dress rather effectively.

Lelouch chuckled. “It won't be that bad. I promise.”

“It's Milly,” Suzaku warned.

“I know,” Lelouch looked back out at the city lights twinkling in the distance. “I'll talk it over with her and we'll clear it.”

Suzaku sighed. “All right,” he looked at his partner. “You plan on staying most of the day at Ashford?”

“Tours and that sort of thing. You headed to the Shatterdome?”

“After escorting the two of you. Euphie said something about meeting her at the gates after lunch and taking her to see Onibaba and the inverted Tokyo Tower.”

Lelouch looked wistful. “Wish I could go with you-”

“No, you don't,” Suzaku cut him off with a brief shake of his head. “Go, spend time at Ashford. We can go back to Ueno Park and explore the museums another day. It'll be a date.” He managed not to flush at the word, the last time Lelouch had suggested it was during their media tour. He had been in such a rush to try to show his partner everything about Tokyo that he had not realized it could technically have been construed as a date. Lelouch even made an offhand mention during that time.

To him, it had made his partnership, his _relationship_ with Lelouch then and there something real, coveted and cherished. It had always been real before then, but something in those hours clicked for him and made him want to spend as much time as he could with him – perhaps for the rest of his life – but nonetheless, Suzaku loved him with all of his heart.

Lelouch snorted quietly, looking away for a second before staring down at his hands hanging over the balcony edge. “...Suzaku...if...” he started quietly before trailing off. “If...Euphie-”

Suzaku realized what he was about to say and immediately reached over to place a hand on his own, bringing the bright violet eyes up towards him. They sparkled like amethysts, glittering against the night sky and city lights. “No,” he shook his head and made sure Lelouch felt it in their bond. “I chose you and I love you. I love Euphie too, but you'll always be mine, you'll always be first.” He squeezed Lelouch's hand gently. “What Euphie and I have, it can never be. Put it out of your head, out of your thoughts. I won't betray everything about us just for that...”

Lelouch blinked once and nodded solemnly. “I'm sorry I asked...”

Suzaku sighed and lifted his hand from Lelouch's before reaching over to embrace him. “You're too stressed. We're both too stressed, with everything. It's making the two of us see things we're usually able to see and ignore.” He touched their heads together briefly before letting him go. While a part of him wished he could kiss him and make the stress go away, another part of him knew that they still had to take care of appearances until they were certain that there were no cameras or listening devices nearby.

“It'll be over soon...” Lelouch murmured as the two of them stood next to each other on the balcony, shoulders pressed tightly. Suzaku hoped his partner was right, that once they were done with this leave, the culmination of Lelouch's plan for them would be over and done with.

* * *

Ashford Academy was impressive for a Britannian educational institute in the heart of Tokyo. It stood out like a bit of a sore thumb from the rest of the architecture of the skyscrapers, shinto shrines and traditional houses that made up the metropolitan city, but Suzaku supposed it was what Lord Ashford was going for when he received permission to build his school years ago.

Surprisingly, Euphie seemed comfortable at Ashford and the two of them learned that she had been at a Britannian boarding school before she applied to the Academy. To her, Ashford was like a typical boarding school, sweeping grounds, buildings and housing for students. They were met by Milly at the entrance who tried to wheedle Suzaku into staying for her grand tour, but he left them with a brief wave of his hand and Euphie promising to text him once they were finished with lunch so he could pick her up and take her around the city while Lelouch stayed longer.

Suzaku then took the rail line to the Shatterdome, glad he had worn his civilian clothing, though he changed his blue duster jacket for a long black one that made him seem a little more imposing. His tinted glasses were still covering his eyes, but he had forewent the baseball cap Kaori Jessop had given to them the first time they went incognito in Tokyo.

He arrived at the Shatterdome with a wave of foreign and local tourists, ducking out of the masses to head to the security entrance and briefly showed his ID to the guards there. They let him in, though a couple of them were surprised by his appearance as he waited for Nagisa.

“ _Suzaku-kun!_ ” Nagisa greeted as she stepped out of the elevators and he gave her a perfunctory bow before hugging her.

“ _Nagisa-san, good morning_ ,” he said as they took the elevator back up. The Tokyo Shatterdome's elevators were stylistically 'outside' of the main Shatterdome, to allow for spectacular views of the Tokyo cityscape – and incidentally, both the distant forms of Onibaba's remaining bones and that of Ragnarok further out towards Yokohama Harbor – something that impressed tourists and visitors alike.

“ _Thank you again for providing the pre-paid cards for the rail lines. They are being put to good use_ ,” he stated as the elevators slowed and they exited. It was quiet in the main hallway that led to LOCENT, the Marshal's office and the war room.

“ _Good_ ,” Nagisa nodded once before stopping in front of the Marshal's door and knocking. Even before there was an answer, she opened the door and Suzaku saw Tohdoh sitting at his desk, looking over the latest reports. Oddly, there were boxes, half packed, some packed while others were still empty, everywhere.

“ _What's..._ ”

“ _Part of the reason why we're glad you're visiting right now. We're being posted to Nagasaki by the end of this week,_ ” Nagisa said as she rounded the desk to collect a few folders and deposited them into another box.

“ _Tohdoh-sensei,_ ” Suzaku bowed towards his former master and received a curt nod in return.

“ _I apologize for the mess, but I had to-_ ”

“ _Kyoshiro, stop it with work,_ ” Nagisa sounded distinctly unimpressed before she gently tugged at his arm. “ _You can do those later this afternoon. Let's go get some tea and talk._ ”

Suzaku hid a smile behind a light cough, but realized that the action had brought both of their gazes up towards him in concern. “ _I'm fine,_ ” he hastily corrected his action. “ _No more cough...just some lingering tickle in my throat._ ”

Tohdoh's eyes softened just a little at the explanation before he sighed and pushed away the keyboard and stood up. “ _Come then,_ ” he stated gruffly as he rounded the table and gestured for him to walk with him. Nagisa looped an arm around the two of them as they headed out the Marshal's office and back towards the elevators to take them to the mess hall.

“ _You had us worried there,_ ” Nagisa said quietly.

“ _I'm sorry,_ ” he apologized with a wan smile at her. “ _I didn't mean to worry both of you. Dr. Peralta did say that-_ ”

“ _Mild bronchitis and that you were lucky you didn't breathe in much of the blue. It's been known to destroy lung cells quickly if inhaled,_ ” Tohdoh cut in, his voice quiet. “ _We know..._ ”

Nagisa chuckled quietly. “ _Kyoshiro demanded to be kept updated every hour if possible on your condition. He cited that he was technically listed as your emergency contact and thus had privileges and rights as well as using his rank to make sure you received the latest care from experts who knew about kaiju blue._ ”

Suzaku frowned a little before he realized _whom_ Tohdoh had contacted specifically regarding kaiju blue. “ _Dr. Saiki..._ ”

“ _We officially hired him as a PPDC consultant for the Japanese Shatterdomes. If you want, you can visit him in the infirmary. He's not moving with us to Nagasaki, instead, he'll be visiting both as a consulting medical expert, but I'm sure he'll be happy to see you._ ”

Suzaku nodded, not knowing how he felt about that news. It was one thing to know that at least his friend was consulted since he was an expert on kaiju blue. But it was another to realize that in the sense that his friend now had access to his medical information as well as more than likely an awareness of PPDC protocols, including those guarding Rangers.

They exited the elevators and grabbed some traditional tea in the mess hall before settling themselves into the plush seats. Tokyo Shatterdome had a mishmash of both western tables and booths and those of traditional Japanese seating arrangements for the comforts of an international crew. The three of them found seats in one of the traditional arrangements, sitting more casually than in _seiza_.

“ _How was Nagasaki's opening?_ ” he asked as he savored the green tea. Whatever passed for green tea in Pendragon and Anchorage Shatterdome was nothing compared to the real thing. He would have to buy some to bring back for their room's kitchenette. Nagisa was drinking a barley tea while Tohdoh opted for a black and Oolong mixture.

“ _Good, though we're not stationing any Jaegers yet, though the Board would probably want us to house the graduating A class of 2017 along with a veteran Jaeger in order to help facilitate more training and acclimation opportunities._ ” Tohdoh shrugged before sobering a little. “ _There's talk of reassigning Tacit Ronin to a pair in the new class if Duc does not come out of his coma soon._ ”

Suzaku winced. “ _Would the public be all for it?_ ”

“ _Perhaps if the pair is Japanese or at least has one member be Japanese. It would be easier for acceptance. Ronin would be stationed at Nagasaki which would boost morale since they scored the kill on Itak with Cherno's assist._ ” Miyazaki was relatively close to Nagasaki where the kill against Itak had happened.

“ _I also have it on good authority that the ASEEC has been developing a shielding of sorts that would protect the workings of the conn-pod from a future blow given by Ragnarok on Ronin. If successful, all Jaegers would be undergoing retrofits for it._ ”

“ _Shielding? As in a plate?_ ”

“ _No using Sakuradite as an energy source,_ ” Tohdoh shook his head. “ _Joint effort by the governments to prevent aspects of destruction of Jaegers. It's beginning to cost some money to build new ones, so they would like to spend time repairing the old ones and ensuring that they last a while longer._ ”

Suzaku wondered if the Gages would be tasked with testing out the shielding like they had with the sniper rifle ordinance back in October. He wanted to tell Tohdoh about his agreement to learn Knightmare technology, but also knew it would be a breach of trust that he had received from the Britannian government. It was enough that they allowed him to even go to Japan on this leave when he had that type of restriction upon him.

“ _Hopefully it'll protect the conn-pod better,_ ” There was nothing else to be said. “ _How is Duc?_ ” he changed the subject.

“ _The same,_ ” Nagisa shook her head. “ _Though his cancer was successfully eradicated and he's been in remission for the last few weeks which is why Dr. Lightcap is going through with her therapy on Oahu._ ”

“ _Can I stop by to visit?_ ”

“ _You're going to Oahu?_ ” Tohdoh looked surprised, but Nagisa merely nodded, having been told when she picked them up.

“ _10-day leave,_ ” he shrugged. “ _Figured we spend a couple of days on Oahu just to check up on Lelouch's house._ ”

Nagisa licked her lips for a second before an impish smile appeared on her lips. “ _Are you sure you'll have time to visit?_ ”

Suzaku immediately felt himself turn red at the teasing in her voice and to his mortification, she laughed. “ _Nagisa-san!_ ” He protested before he saw Tohdoh valiantly trying to fight the crooked smile that threatened to appear on his lips. “ _Not you too Tohdoh-sensei._ ” He pouted, feeling suddenly like he had gotten the short end of a stick he didn't know about.

“ _I kid, I kid,_ ” Nagisa laughed trailed off into a muffled sound as she held a hand up to her lips. “ _Maa, maa, Suzaku-kun, this is supposed to be a vacation for you, to relax. You normally don't get this worked up about me teasing you..._ ”

Suzaku fought the blush before he shook his head. “ _I know, and I know you mean well-_ ”

Nagisa reached out and patted him gently on the back. “ _It's all right. You have our support as always._ ” Her laughter died as she peered closely at him. “ _Is it because of what happened with Yamarashi-_ ”

“ _No,_ ” Suzaku immediately shook his head. “ _No, never that. It's..._ ”

“ _Media,_ ” Tohdoh supplemented, looking rather cross and Suzaku nodded, the initial embarrassment fading into a glum feeling. “ _They seemed to have relented-_ ”

“ _Lelouch thinks they're going to start up again soon, if not already. At least the Britannian ones..._ ”

Tohdoh made a scoffing sound and looked away. Suzaku smiled wanly, knowing his mentor was not happy that the Britannia media would not let up on them; in their minds a bunch of gossip happy rumormongers that would only be happy once someone else's life was ruined. Nagisa pursed her lips before her hand that had been patting his back reached out to run up and down to soothe him.

“ _I don't like that you have to-_ ”

Suzaku shrugged. “ _It's our wish and I agree with him that respect. It's not for dissection even if we do hide it even now on leave._ ” He left out the portion where he knew Lelouch coveted and guarded everything that was precious to him close to his own heart. Their relationship was at the forefront of that and he knew that his partner would be ruthless in ensuring no one found out about it because it was their own to share, not for others to even consider. He found it rather endearing that Lelouch was so protective of it.

“ _Tell me this then, Suzaku-kun, are you still happy?_ ”

“ _With him? Always,_ ” he nodded firmly. “ _He makes me happy._ ”

“ _Good,_ ” Nagisa's smile was a little toothy and he laughed lightly at her expression. She softened it with a quick wordless glance at Tohdoh before looking back at him. “ _We ask only because...well...we were hoping that in the near future, we may take some of your time from him to perhaps become a godfather to us._ ”

It took a second for Suzaku to comprehend what Nagisa was saying and another second for him to turn to stare at her, his eyes tracking down to where her other hand was resting lightly against her stomach. There was no visible bump of sorts, but Suzaku did not need to know what she was saying to actually understand it.

His lips pulled from side to side in the biggest smile he could muster as he felt an incomprehensible joy fill him. “ _Congratulations!_ ” he said giddily as he set his cup down and reached over to hug her before pausing. “ _Wait, I can hug-_ ”

“ _Yes,_ ” Nagisa's laughter rang out and Suzaku hugged her, though not as tightly as he had yesterday. Being aware that there was a new life growing inside of Nagisa, a woman he considered a sister, he took care that he did not do anything to harm her body.

He released her and sat back, staring between her and Tohdoh. “ _Congratulations sensei,_ ” he bowed his head slightly towards Tohdoh. He received a fond smile in return as Tohdoh quietly sipped his tea. He looked back between the two of them again. “ _You'll both be wonderful parents, I'm sure of it! If I may ask, how long..._ ”

“ _Just a little over two months,_ ” Nagisa replied, rubbing her stomach. “ _We were hoping that you'd be this little girl or boy's godfather-_ ”

“ _I will,_ ” Suzaku immediately replied, “ _thank you. Thank you for the honor.”_ He bowed his head respectfully towards the two of them. _“I promise to not let either one of you down in that respect and help raise the child-_ ”

“ _Suzaku-kun, slow down,_ ” Nagisa smiled as did Tohdoh. She turned to her Drift partner. “ _You're right. He is taking this rather enthusiastically and is like that western term, a kid in a candy store._ ”

“ _Suzaku,_ ” Tohdoh set his cup down. “ _I will not have you as a godfather to my child if you are to set this type of example for him or her. Raising one of you is enough for my lifetime._ ”

Suzaku immediately stilled himself and swallowed heavily. “ _Yes sir,_ ” he forced himself to contain the giddiness, but he was so happy that after their hardships of the past year and half that they were going to have a child. Being a godparent in Asiatic cultures meant signifying stronger ties to unrelated family members and it was a great honor, especially since Suzaku readily abandoned and defied his father's wishes to be with Lelouch and to pilot Gipsy Danger.

Nagisa had no compunctions and perhaps it was due to the changes her body was undergoing that she laughed again, an easy free one that was rather infectious and Suzaku joined in. Tohdoh merely rolled his eyes and gamely sipped his tea, seemingly unaffected by the two of them sitting across from him. As their laughter died down, their topics turned into a more pleasant conversation and Suzaku felt himself finally start to relax.

* * *

The three of them took an early lunch before Tohdoh and Nagisa made their excuses to continue packing for the move to Nagasaki. Before parting from them, Suzaku extracted a promise from them to visit Ashford Academy for the school's hanami viewing in two days time while also promising to extend the invitation to the Beckets once they returned from their leave. He also reiterated that they would be visiting them for dinner after the viewing. Suzaku wondered what they were doing for dinner.

True to his word to Nagisa and Tohdoh, he stopped by the infirmary and spotted his old friend, Dr. Daisuke Saiki, with his head buried in a microscope, studying what had to be cultures or something of that nature. Suzaku cleared his throat gently as he approached, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

“The results can be left on my desk, per usual,” Daisuke said in an accented English without looking up from the microscope.

Suzaku could not help the grin that split his lips as he rolled his eyes. It was very typical of the young doctor to get caught up in his work and ignore everything else around him – similar to another man he knew. “ _Unfortunately I don't have those results, doctor,_ ” he said politely, but let a hint of humor show in his tone.

Daisuke started a little before pulling his head from the microscope and turned to look at him. He saw the moment comprehension lit up his old friend's face before the doctor laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. “ _Suzaku-kun, you're...you're here. Uh, when did you get here?_ ”

“ _Just now,_ ” Suzaku shrugged. “ _Good to see you again Daisuke-kun,_ ” he slipped his hands out of his pockets as he gestured with a chin towards the microscope. “ _You doing some study?_ ”

“ _Yeah, uh did Marshall Tohdoh-_ ”

“ _He told me. Also told me he recruited you as a liaison working in the Japanese Shatterdomes?_ ” The last word was a question and Daisuke nodded eagerly.

“ _Yeah, after Onibaba. I got a ton of requests, both from the governments and medical fields all across Japan to consult. However, I didn't want to leave Doctors Without Borders, and they didn't want to lose me because of pay issues, so I asked to be a consultant to the PPDC with the agreement that I could publicly publish my findings and research in any peer reviewed journals. Didn't have to belong to any associations and that stuff, just for sheer knowledge._ ”

Suzaku was readily impressed and nodded. “ _That went a bit over my head, but it sounds like a lot of the red tape you used to encounter were cleared away?_ ”

“ _Yup,_ ” Daisuke looked pleased. “ _It is great in that respect, though-_ ” He gestured with a hand and looked to approach before he glanced back at his microscope. “ _Hang on a second Suzaku-kun. Let me first clean this up, then we can talk, all right?_ ”

Suzaku chuckled quietly as he nodded and watched the doctor bustle about, setting away equipment and petri dishes. “ _What cultures do you have?_ ”

“ _Yours actually,_ ” Daisuke flushed a bit of pink. “ _Just sent over by Dr. Peralta. It's the latest one after the antibiotics flushed most of the bacteria away. I'm interested in the gut growth and the new bacteria that's grown in place. Noting some of the anti-toxins lingering that seem to be acting like barrier for re-expansion of the blue that is in you._ ”

“ _You mean_ was _in me-_ ”

“ _Actually, perfect opportunity while you're here,_ ” Daisuke finished washing his hands and wiped them on a towel before gesturing for the two of them to leave the infirmary. He followed, watching as the doctor stuck his hands inside his lab coat and absently fiddled with the stethoscope that was in it. He made a small noise as if he didn't realize the object was in his pocket before shrugging and looped it around his neck.

“ _So basically, I started to notice that you actually still have blue in you,_ ” the doctor didn't look at him, but instead, used his hands to gesticulate. “ _But it's inert, inactive. It seems like the anti-toxin is coating it, creating a barrier of sorts that renders the toxicity of it to be neutral. Then there's a coating of antibiotics on top of that just to prevent any enterprising bacteria from clinging onto it, like a second barrier._ ”

He smiled as they ambled along the halls. “ _I'm hoping to start conducting some experiments to see if there would be any type of breakdown of the bacterial barrier, but it's going to be a long-running experiment. However, I can say that most of the blue was flushed out of your lungs by the toxins. It's only just a small amount left._ ”

“ _Should I even ask how much is small? Relatively speaking?_ ” Suzaku understood what Daisuke was saying, the man used to explaining problems and situations to the patients he cared for. It was what made him so communicative and something Suzaku had found fascinating back when they worked in Manila. There was an easy way of Daisuke's natural charm and patience that gave him a good bedside manner.

“ _A few hundred thousand, give or take a few, compared to the millions upon millions with each breath taken?_ ” Daisuke laughed lightly and Suzaku shook his head.

“ _Forget I asked,_ ” his head was _going_ to spin if he thought about it in that sense.

“ _You were ingesting top of the line antibiotics and were at the forefront of every treatment we could think of to get rid of the blue from you, Suzaku. Have to find some way to study the effects of blue so you inadvertently became a test subject,_ ” the doctor looked sheepish.

“ _I volunteered for Jaeger Academy and became a pilot. That's already test subject area, getting my brain all scrambled and stuff._ ”

“ _True,_ ” the doctor nodded. They found themselves wandering outside to one of the many balconies that was part of an outdoor recreation area in the Shatterdome. It looked over the public entrance and lobby of the Shatterdome dome itself, giving them a good view of the city. The hanger bays were opposite of them, facing the harbor for quick sea deployment per Shatterdome building protocols. “ _So what brings you here?_ ”

“ _Visiting Tohdoh-sensei and Nagisa-san. Ten day leave for us,_ ” he rested his arms against the metal railing, looking out towards Onibaba's bones and the inverted Tokyo Tower that had been stuck to its head. The flesh and blue had already been cleaned up, leaving white dry bones where a museum was being constructed around it. Technically a crane could have pulled out the tower from the hollow area it had been stuck in, but it seemed that they were to build around it, bracing it in its final resting place. “ _Heard from Tohdoh-sensei that you were posted here._ ”

Daisuke nodded absently, fiddling with his stethoscope. “ _It's nice to have a semi-permanent home, though I get to go between Nagasaki and here. Traveling isn't too bad, I'm used to it, but it's nice to at least be in one place for a while. How have you been since we last talked?_ ”

“ _Email?_ ”

“ _Besides email. I know you don't say things in email,_ ” Daisuke glanced at him and Suzaku smiled ruefully before looking out towards the city.

“ _Good. We've been good,_ ” he knew what his old friend was asking about. “ _I'm glad to be back home, even if it's just for a few days._ ”

“ _I'm surprised_ he _didn't come with you to visit. Last I saw, the two of you were inseparable._ ”

“ _He's spending time with Euphie,_ ” Suzaku replied with a small shrug. “ _Besides, you know how it is._ ”

Apparently what he said surprised the doctor as one brown eyebrow rose up. “ _It was that new? Suzaku, it didn't look like it to me. It looked like the two of you joined at the hip and five seconds away from saying vows._ ”

Suzaku looked at his friend out of the corner of his eye. “ _We were friends first, Daisuke-kun._ ”

Something softened in his old friend's gaze as he nodded and looked at the city. “ _You use protection?_ ” he asked after a few minutes of amicable silence.

“ _Sometimes,_ ” Suzaku replied. “ _Exclusive though. We've had checks in our last medical._ ” He didn't need to add that he was probably screened again for STDs when he had kaiju blue.

“ _That's something at least,_ ” Daisuke sighed with a small shrug. While the young doctor had been his first, Daisuke had also been a veritable fount of knowledge of sexual practices, safe sex, but also a patient teacher to Suzaku. It was also why Suzaku didn't exactly mind the doctor prying into such an intimate knowledge. He was also well aware that the doctor had deliberately walked them to a balcony where there was little to no chance of being overheard by anyone. It confirmed that the doctor read about Ranger Protocols and understood his relationship with Lelouch on a very personal level.

They fell into another bout of silence as a stiff breeze blew through the balcony, ruffling the light trenchcoat that Suzaku wore. He tucked strand of his hair that had blown into his eyes behind his ear. “ _Who is the lucky person?_ ” He suddenly asked.

“ _How...?_ ”

“ _You don't normally forget your stethoscope. The fact that you normally carry it around your neck tells me that someone placed it in your lab coat as a reminder and that you had forgotten it which his rare for you. Someone cares and knows you well enough for you enough to know that you always stick your hands in your coat whenever you're walking around._ ”

Daisuke smiled, a winsome look that highlighted his handsome features. “ _You're really observant._ ”

“ _People keep telling me that,_ ” Suzaku shrugged. “ _I blame it on my Drift partner._ ”

The smile dissolved into a small bark of laughter. “ _That is true. Drifting does allow partners to take qualities from one another._ ” He sighed, a soft smile on his face as he stared at nothing in particular. Suzaku recognized it, knowing the doctor was both infatuated and perhaps in love. It had been shared between them once long ago before they realized what they had was just a need for comfort in a time of hardship and mutually parted from each other with no hard feelings. “ _Her name's Hinoto. She was a Priestess in one of the shrines and was blinded trying to save her older sister Kanoe during Ragnarok's attack. I met her by chance, when I was treating her older sister for kaiju blue-related wounds and she happened to be visiting when I made my rounds._ ”

“ _I'm sorry she was injured,_ ” Suzaku grimaced. “ _We should have been faster-_ ”

“ _No,_ ” Daisuke shook his head slowly. “ _No, don't do that to yourself, Suzaku-kun. I know you and I know you'll try to blame yourself. That is not your fault. You were fast enough to prevent more deaths. You cannot blame yourself for those who were injured before you got there._ ”

Suzaku was quiet. He knew Daisuke meant well and was sincere with his words, but the part of him that shared the same sentiments as Lelouch wished they could prevent any deaths by intercepting kaiju before they could make landfall. That way, no one would die on their watch.

“ _Suzaku-kun,_ ” Daisuke warned, turning his head to look at him evenly.

Suzaku closed his eyes and opened it, letting out a long sigh before he cleared his throat. “ _Fine,_ ” he relented. “ _Not blaming myself for things I can't quite control-_ ”

“ _Kaiju attacks are something you_ cannot _control as are other factors. The things you can control is when you engage the kaiju and when you beat it to death, okay? Simple as that. I know it and you know it._ ” The doctor eyed him for a long moment. “ _Say it, Suzaku-kun._ ”

“ _Why-_ ”

“ _Say it,_ ” the doctor warned. “ _I want to hear you say it._ ”

Suzaku glared at him, a little irritated before he rolled his eyes. “ _I can control when I engage the kaiju and when I beat the ever loving shit out of it. I can't control anything else regarding kaiju. Happy?_ ”

Daisuke nodded curtly. “ _Good. Now-_ ”

The sudden buzz of Suzaku's cellphone in the pocket of his pants made him automatically pull it out before he realized what he was doing. He hastily looked up at Daisuke. “ _Sorry, I-_ ”

“ _Don't worry,_ ” the doctor waved a hand at him.

Suzaku glanced at the phone and saw that Euphie had texted him saying that she was almost done with lunch. He text her back saying he was leaving the Shatterdome soon and would meet her shortly in front of the Academy.

“ _Gotta go?_ ” Daisuke asked lightly. Suzaku knew him well enough that he was not offended.

“ _Yeah. Promised to show them around the city once they were done with lunch,_ ” he said.

“ _Take them by the Onibaba Museum. It's almost done, but the exhibits are open and they feature some interesting subject matter._ ” There was a slight smile on Daisuke's face and Suzaku raised an eyebrow at the expression.

“ _Should I be worried?_ ”

“ _No, but you'll definitely get a kick out of the exhibit and your friends will too,_ ” Daisuke's smile grew a little wider. “ _Just...don't mention it around Marshal Tohdoh though..._ ”

Suzaku laughed lightly and nodded. If it was something he could at least needle his sensei a little bit about, then yes, he would go. “ _Ashford Academy's having their hanami viewing if you want to join as a guest?_ ”

“ _Thank you, but I've already attended the one at Ueno Park. Hinoto was able to secure a private section for us by being a Priestess,_ ” Daisuke looked happy and Suzaku was impressed.

“ _Very lucky indeed._ ” Ueno Park, to put it mildly, was a madhouse during hanami season. Everyone was mostly polite in fighting for space to set down and have viewing parties, but having a decent conversation in such a viewing party was nearly impossible by the sheer number of people. It also didn't help that floods of tourists, mostly from China and Australia would come by to see the legendary sakura trees planted there.

“ _Go on, I've taken enough of your time even though it was a surprise to see you again, Suzaku-kun,_ ” the older man waved a hand at him.

“ _Thank you, for everything you've done for me, Daisuke-kun. I am a very lucky person to have your expertise in keeping me healthy as well as a friend I can rely upon,_ ” Suzaku bowed slightly to his friend and saw him blush a little.

“ _I'm just glad that you're here for us so consider the services rendered mutual and beneficial,_ ” the doctor replied.

Suzaku pushed himself off from the railing and waved a goodbye to the doctor before heading back in and promptly out of the Shatterdome. Minutes later, he was back on the subways, headed towards Ashford Academy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I long decided once I had introduced elements of "Tokyo Babylon" and "X/1999" into this story that I'd do a version so couldn't pass up the opportunity to shove more "X/1999" references in - hence Saiki finding Hinoto and an oblique reference to Hinoto's older sister Kanoe.


	23. The Cultists Arc - Tokyo Annex II

His afternoon with Euphie was pleasant, if not in a way similar to the afternoon he had spent with Lelouch on their unofficial date all those months ago. He briefly wondered what the Psych Analysts would make of that comparison, but considered that because he loved the two of them, it would seem similar. The only noticable difference was with Euphie, he had to explain more of the nuances of civilian life and culture to her. With Lelouch, it was easy to understand him and be understood in the sense both through their bond and through their reactions. Euphie was more sweet with her reactions, 'oooh-ing' and 'ahhh-ing' in the typical places, while Lelouch was prone to either make a comparison or file it silently away for knowledge to be used later.

Owing to Daisuke's advice, he took Euphie to the Onibaba Museum and received both a hilarious and pleasant surprise at the Museum's exhibits. It was a family friendly, if a little watered down version of the PPDC's public information on the kaiju war geared towards the Japanese populace. A section was dedicated to kaiju specifically, with hands-on exhibits allowing patrons to simulate reactions to kaiju warnings and alerts and deploy if necessary. Patrons were allowed to try their hand at deploying Jaegers in various orders and would get a score on their deployment efforts. Most of it trended towards high success rates. The kaiju section was also the largest in the museum as it encircled the inverted Tokyo Tower with a blurb on how Coyote Tango killed the menacing kaiju. Sounds from the battle played over parts of a narrative describing Onibaba's attack, pattern and how it was ultimately killed. A lot of families took their pictures in front of the parts of metal that were burnished orange and white from the tip of Tokyo Tower.

Suzaku thought it was oddly morbid.

Another section was dedicated to the Shatterdomes and their construction and launch of Jaegers. There was a blurb dedicated to Tohdoh and Suzaku could not stop laughing once he had seen it. No wonder Daisuke had warned him  _ not  _ to let Tohdoh know about it. He took a picture and sent it to Lelouch, knowing he would get a definite kick out of it. He received a text in return wondering where he was and mentioned the Onibaba Museum.

Apparently Milly was nearby as he immediately got a text from her with an emoji that just indicated she was laughing her head off. It was followed up by her saying she needed pictures now as she was going to go visit, but was caught up in a few family affairs that she had deferred and delayed. Euphie joined in the text chat and they started to take a few pictures or send blurbs of what was written about certain aspects of the PPDC.

Next to the Shatterdome exhibit was one for the Jaeger Academy where children could try their luck at some of the questions and entry exams. Suzaku and Euphie avoided that section as they did not want to be reminded of the Academy's entrance exams, but wandered over to where an interactive exhibit allowed museum patrons to try their hand at the Jaeger bushido forms. It was a little exaggerated, but Suzaku was mildly impressed that all the forms were available for anyone to study.

“Now to put it into practice,” Euphie had murmured as they moved on.

Next to the Jaeger Academy was a section on the Jaegers themselves with a note that the Jaegers would be a rotating exhibit to make sure they were compliant with Tokyo and Nagasaki Shatterdome personnel. The ones currently displayed were Tacit Ronin, Cherno Alpha and Coyote Tango. Another blurb, this time about Nagisa and Tohdoh was next to Coyote Tango before a feature on the Beckets was next to it as Coyote's newest pilots.

Suzaku took a picture of the blurbs, wondering if he could use it to tease Nagisa. He did discreetly take a picture of some of the people bowing in respect towards a scale model of Tacit Ronin, finding it rather touching as many placed their hands towards Kaori's name, the text that was printed on the placard fading already with so many people paying their respects.

Besides all three Jaegers to have small bios of their pilots next to it, the statistics for the Jaegers themselves were on full display. Holographic projections allowed the patrons to interact and look at sections of the Jaegers themselves. More than one child started to pretend they were Jaegers stomping around near that part of the exhibit. Euphie had laughed quietly at the scene. They sobered as they made their bows of respect towards Tacit Ronin and continued on.

The second to last section in the museum was dedicated specifically to the Japanese Jaeger pilots. Suzaku immediately wanted out of there as he spotted an almost life-size standee of himself with lines indicating that a blurb had been written about him next to Tohdoh, Nagisa and Kaori. However, Euphie caught him and wrangled him into standing next to himself – frowning in clear dislike – and took a picture. It was sent to the group text and the reaction was immediate from both Lelouch and Milly. He could feel the faint, but clear amusement roll across his bond with his partner, even from far away and was vaguely annoyed by it.

“I can't wait until Pendragon puts up a museum about you and Lelouch so I can take my revenge picture,” he muttered into her ear as she studied the blurbs.

“This one is actually nice about you!” She said as she pointed at his blurb. He skimmed the words – it was actually nice, if not quite neutral. It stated mostly facts, though it did say he came from an illustrious and loving family. That part wasn't exactly true, but he wouldn't go complain about it to the docents. What surprised and pleased him was the mention of his partnership with  _ former _ Britannian Prince Lelouch Lamperouge and how the two of them fought against Ragnarok. Someone had pasted a post-it note with the words [Add Yamarashi! They kicked ass!] to the end of the blurb.

Like the Tacit Ronin statuette, a lot of people were bowing towards Kaori's life-size standee and biography. There was a small memorial of flowers and origami by her feet and Suzaku had a feeling that the memorial probably grew every day as patrons visited the museum or wanted to leave something to memorialize the Japanese pilot.

Euphie gripped his hand as they bowed in respect towards the makeshift memorial and headed to the last section of the museum. It was a memorial wall, and the two of them realized the wall was the  _ bones _ of Onibaba, specifically what passed for rib bones. Bleached white to carve and score names on it, it listed every single victim of the three kaiju that had attacked Japan so far. Three ribs had small black scores with Japanese characters on it for each person. Then there was an exhibit on kaiju blue and its effects with a notation that the exhibit was a living one and would be updated as new scientific advancements were made.

It was not all gloom as the section on kaiju blue was hopeful in its message and asked for donations to continue the advance of local sciences and treatments to help the victims of the three kaiju attacks. Some dropped a few yen and the two of them did the same as they exited the museum into – naturally – the gift shop.

The mood seemed lighter as they looked at the things on display. There were small model kits of various Jaegers currently in service to large display ones that were painted to a serious degree of accuracy of Jaegers in fighting poses. Next to them were ones of kaiju and Suzaku found himself morbidly intrigued as he studied the one for Ragnarok.

He did not remember the multi-armed kaiju being so...disgustingly grotesque. The model of Ragnarok made its flesh look pink – almost like a human's with glowing blue veins running along. One of its arms was missing – the one that Gipsy had blown off – and there was streaks of blue everywhere as it indicated its wounded state. He couldn't help himself and took a picture, wanting to study the model later.

“Oh...are you interested in this one in particular young man? I think it captures the best moment where Gipsy Danger had nearly defeated the kaiju. We're supposed to get a version of the Jaeger in a couple of months once it clears PPDC approval and the two models will fit together to make the scene.” A voice startled him from his study and he looked up to see a salesperson smiling kindly at him.

“Uh, no, just c-curious,” Suzaku stuttered a bit before he glanced around him to see where Euphie had wandered off to in the store and found her. “Excuse me,” he bowed slightly towards her and left, his feet moving a little faster than he liked. “Hi,” he greeted Euphie in a rush.

“Hi?” Euphie was looking at some small super-deformed models of Jaegers. He glanced towards the salesperson staring at him for a moment before a frown appeared on her face. He had a slightly bad feeling that his cover was close to being blown considering how close she had been next to him and perhaps had time to study the all but flimsy disguise he wore – which was just tinted glasses shading his eyes. He knew he should have brought the baseball cap with him.

“Er, I'm going to wait outside-” Suzaku wondered if he could leave without notice, as he quickly glanced at the salesperson who was now conversing with another person, a finger not quite pointed at him. He stopped as he saw what was in Euphie's hand. “Are those...?”

“Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger,” Euphie nodded, grinning as she held up what looked like an extremely cute, but deformed version of Romeo Blue. It was like someone had squashed the Jaeger down into a slightly flattened, if not exaggerated shape. Someone had painted  _ tsurime _ eyes – eyes slanted upwards instead of a demure downward slope – on both Romeo Blue and Gipsy Danger – though Gipsy had a fierce grin on its face while Romeo Blue looked quite cheerful. It was as if they captured the pilots' personality into a super deformed version. It was a little eerie.

“You need to get that for the Gages,” Suzaku insisted. “Can you imagine-”

“Oh yes,” Euphie nodded, a grin on her face. “Trev wouldn't stop talking about those keychains you got them the last time you were here. This one...this one takes the cake.”

“Get two...no wait three. Amanda needs one-”

“Noooo,” Euphie shook her head before setting the small models down before she pulled out a small box that she had tucked under her arm. It was a 1/100 model kit of Romeo Blue. “This is for Amanda. She's always expressed an interest in model planes and Knightmares, so yep...”

Euphie crouched for a second before showing him a second box and Suzaku stared, slightly aghast. It was a 1/100 model of Gipsy Danger.

“You've got to be kidding me...”

“Nope,” she looked happy. “She's going to teach me too.” She grinned at him. “And then we're going to paint the models and display them on our LOCENT stations.” She brought the box up towards her face, squinting for a second before lowering it and her smile became impossibly wider. “It even has tiny representations of you and Lelouch in it supposedly.”

“Do they have Vincent Gloucester or Lucky Seven?” He asked. If he was going to be thoroughly embarrassed with the news that there were now  _ models  _ of his Jaeger, he was determined to take most of the Rangers Corps with him as a result. It would not be fair if he didn't share the wealth of embarrassment around.

No wonder Daisuke said not to mention the museum to Tohdoh. Suzaku was now on a mission – to make sure all of his fellow pilots knew of this and thoroughly feel the same embarrassment he felt.

“Maybe, hang on, let me put these up front and I'll help, okay?” Euphie had the same gleam in her eye and went up to the sales person to put her purchases on hold before she came back and they searched in the small bin containing the super-deformed versions of the Jaegers.

They came up with at least all of the Jaegers that were in active service except for Mammoth Apostle, having been launched about a month and a half ago. All of the Jaegers, except for Cherno Alpha and oddly Vincent Gloucester, had  _ tsurime _ eyes. Cherno and Vincent had  _ tareme _ eyes, making them look oddly cuter, if not more innocent-looking.

They hauled their collection to the front and the salesperson that tried to talk to him looked surprised at how many things they were purchasing. Euphie insisted on splitting the cost of the small super deformed models with him – specifically saying she was buying the Gipsy Danger and Romeo Blue models in order to gift them – and he reluctantly agreed as they paid for their purchases.

The salesperson more than likely realized who he was as he slipped his credit card into the chip and pin reader. He knew his name would be partially printed on the transaction, even though the card's numbers would not be, but merely offered the the young woman a slight smile and brief nod as her eyes widened minutely.

“W-We...are coming out with newer models of this type if, uh, you want to-”

“No, thank you,” he replied, “not at this time though. Maybe on my next visit.”

“O-Okay,” she stuttered as she completed his transaction and bagged part of the gifts. “Um...uh, t-thank you...” she bowed her head slightly and he returned it with a brief nod. He watched as she quickly rang up Euphie's side of the purchases, looking even more faint as Euphie pulled out an all-black card that didn't even look like it had identifying marks or numbers on it. The only thing that identified it as a credit card was the small glint of holographic foil on one side – the chip portion. Suzaku knew Euphie was not wanting for money, being a royal and all, but even he felt a little disconcerted by the fact that Euphie  _ owned _ a black card.

“Er...uh, t-thank you, P-Princess,” the salesperson whispered her title, having realized that the two of them did not want attention drawn towards them.

“You're welcome,” Euphie dipped her head slightly as she smiled. The salesperson blushed a little as she quickly bagged the rest of the purchases and watched as they left.

They wandered from the museum to the nearby pastry shop and ate some Castellan cake. Euphie was surprised at how airy and delicate the cake was, a different style of baking than the heavier dough used to make Britannian cake.

Afterwards, they took the rail lines back to their hotel, dropping off their purchases, though Euphie took the small Gipsy Danger model with her as they headed back out, walking towards Ashford Academy which would be their destination before dinner time. It had been a spur of the moment idea from Lelouch, texted to them as they had been eating at the cafe.

They wandered into one of the smaller parks, taking a break on one of the benches in the shade. Suzaku tilted his head back, closing his eyes briefly against the sun before he heard a shuffle next to him and then Euphie's voice making cat-like sounds.

He opened his eyes and leaned forward as he saw Euphie had crouched down onto the ground, smiling at a stray cat that had wandered by. It was a dark grey coloration with a black patch around its right eye.

“Nyan, nyan,” Euphie meowed before extending a finger towards the cat.

“Euphie, you don't know-”

The cat sniffed the finger before seemingly closing its eyes and rubbing against her hand with clear affection.

“-where the cat's been...” Suzaku trailed off his warning as he saw that the cat was not going to bite or harm Euphie. He sighed and cleared his throat a little watching as she scratched the cat behind its ears. The animal purred quietly as Euphie played with it.

“Suzaku, come here, I think its pretty friendly,” Euphie called out and he smiled.

“All right,” he was familiar with stray cats, his family's shrine having played host to several feral ones over the years. They normally left after having litters, but he had heard one or two fighting in the dark over several years. Though his father never allowed him to own a pet, he occasionally snuck fish or food out to the strays, hoping that one of them would eventually stay and be his unofficial pet. One did for about a year or two, but after one particularly stormy night, he never saw it again and suspected that it had died somewhere during the storm.

Pushing himself off from the bench, he knelt down in front of the grey cat and tentatively extended his hand out to let the stray sniff it. He watched as the cat blinked at him slowly, extending its head forward-

“...Ow...” he muttered as the cat sank its teeth into him.

“...Does it hurt?” Euphie asked hesitantly.

“Very...” he grimaced, shaking his finger a little before the cat released it. He looked at his index finger and saw small imprints of teeth, but thankfully no blood. He glanced back as the cat sat on its haunches and licked one of its paws. He sighed. “I guess it doesn't like me...”

“But you like it, right?” Euphie asked before she reached out gingerly and the cat stared at her hand for a bit before moving its face towards her and rubbing its cheeks on her fingers.

“It likes you better,” Suzaku didn't know why he was suddenly jealous of a cat of all things, but supposed it was the way the world worked in mysterious ways. It was then that he noticed one of the cat's paws was held a little bit off the ground. “Oh...it's injured too.”

“Aww,” Euphie cooed, “maybe we should take it to a vet-”

“Euphie it's a stray...”

“I know, but maybe it'll survive longer if we get it treated.”

“At that point, might as well adopt it,” he looked at her before he instantly regretted the words he just said. “Er-”

“That is a  _ brilliant  _ idea Suzaku!” Euphie's cornflower blue eyes sparkled. “We'd have a mascot with us! Like Cherno Alpha's Elizabeth.”

“What? Who?”

Euphie's ecstatic look morphed into one of mild exasperation. “You and Lelouch – observant, yet not for some things. Cherno Alpha is popular in Japan because they have a cat as their pet mascot. The cat, Elizabeth, belonged to Colonel Breisgau before she became a pilot and she just signed an endorsement deal for cat food to sell in Japan based on Elizabeth's image.”

“You want to adopt this stray cat so we can do the same?” Suzaku was utterly confused.

“No,” Euphie shook her head, “but you seem to like the cat, even though it doesn't seem to like you, and so I thought it make you happy.”

He paused, staring at Euphie. “Er...”

“I remember you telling me about your family's shrine and how there were stray cats all around that you tried to take care of, Suzaku,” Euphie smiled at him.

He realized he  _ had  _ talked to Euphie about the strays. It was one of their first conversations back in the early days of the Academy. The fact that she remembered all the way back then... “Ah...well...” he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “All right...but if the vet says we can't then we can't, okay? Also, aren't there rules about pets and stuff in a Shatterdome?”

“Not sure, but we could offer it up as a mouser,” Euphie replied. “I'm pretty sure the cleaning staff would love it.” She looked back at the dark grey stray and made a few more cooing sounds before gingerly gathering the cat up in her arms. Suzaku was surprised to see that the cat made no other resistance except to settle in Euphie's arms, yawning widely to show tiny little sharp fangs.

“Aww...you just wanted someone to find you, didn't you Arthur, didn't you...” Euphie cooed.

“Arthur?” Suzaku asked.

“Well...I mean, I think it's a guy cat...not sure, but...gotta have a name, right?” Euphie stroked the top of the cat's head, eliciting a rumbling purr. “You don't like Arthur?”

“It's fine,” he honestly had no opinion on the name. He didn't really named the strays that wandered by his family's shrine, preferring to call them by their coat color.

“All right, where is the nearest vet clinic?” Euphie scrolled quickly through her phone with one hand before she made a noise of satisfaction. “Ah, here we are, let's go, just outside the park.”

He followed Euphie as they made their way out of the park, crossing the street to the other side where the sign for a veterinary clinic was. They entered the small clinic, the sounds of animals barking, birds chirping was heard.

“ _ Welcome to Sakurazuka Veterinary Hospital! _ ” The receptionist greeted them.

“ _ Thank you, _ ” Suzaku bowed in return, switching to Japanese easily. He gestured towards Euphie who approached the counter. “ _ We found this stray with an injured foreleg and was wondering if the doctor could diagnose and recommend how to heal it? We're looking to adopt it off the streets. _ ”

The receptionist smiled. “ _ That is very kind of you. _ ” She glanced down at her desk for a moment before looking back up. “ _ The assessment should take no more than an hour and you are in luck that the doctor is currently free at the moment. There will be an upfront fee and potential additional charges for anything we may need to do like neuter or give this cat updated shots. _ ”

“ _ That's fine, _ ” Suzaku replied.

“ _ That's very sweet of you to be doing this for your girlfriend, _ ” the receptionist smiled and Suzaku stilled a little.

“ _ Uh...she's, um, not my girlfriend, _ ” he mumbled as he filled out the requisite form and handed it back to her.

“ _ Oh, _ ” the receptionist blushed, “ _ I'm sorry, I'm- _ ” He caught the moment that she had read his name on the form before her eyes comically widened. He cleared his throat roughly as she looked from him and back down to the paper. He lifted his glasses and set it on top of his head, allowing her to look at his face. Her eyes darted to where Euphie was still holding the stray and then back to him. She took a deep breath before seemingly trying to gather the remnants of her composure before she bowed her head respectfully towards Euphie.

“Y-Your H-Highness,” she stuttered in a heavily accented English.

Suzaku glanced back to see Euphie with a disconcerted look on her face before nodding once in acknowledgment. It seemed the receptionist knew or at least identified Euphie easily based on the pink hair.

“ _ Let me process the paperwork and get the cat settled, shall we? _ ” The receptionist took another deep breath, apparently trying to get past their celebrity status and being a good receptionist. “ _ Please take a seat and we'll be with you shortly. _ ”

Suzaku nodded and left the desk, gesturing for Euphie to sit down with the cat in her arms and he sat next to her. He didn't know exactly how to process the fact that he was a bit of a celebrity now. It was a foreign feeling. Even when he was just known as the Prime Minister's son, he did not receive much adulation, the adults and his fellow classmates treating him like any other person – though some did try to debate him on policies passed and whatnot over the years. Now, it seemed that dynamic had shifted away from being the simple Prime Minister's son to something that reminded him of how famous actors and musicians were treated by every day people.

“Is everything all right?” Euphie whispered quietly. Arthur purred in her arms.

“Seems to be,” Suzaku shrugged. “The receptionist seems to know who I am...and you too.”

“I got that much,” Euphie deadpanned. “Though she doesn't seem to be attempting to treat us any different?”

“Japanese celebrities are...treated in manners similar to ones in Britannia, but there's a lot more social connotations attached to it. You are expected to act and behave in a certain way. I'm not sure how that applies to Jaeger pilots, but they attempt to treat celebrities like normal I guess. Tokyo's also home to a lot of celebrities, so it may be more of an everyday occurrence.”

“You...looked thrown off earlier though, are you sure?”

“Oh,” Suzaku grimaced before giving her a sheepish smile. “She thought we were, uh, dating and, uh I corrected her before I think she realized who I was...”

“Oh,” Euphie turned a little pink before falling silent. It was awkward until the door to the back office opened and the doctor stepped out.

The two of them automatically stood up to greet the doctor. Suzaku was struck at the sudden familiarity of the tall man before him, even though he was sure he had never met him before. The doctor was at least a head higher than him, dressed in a white lab coat. His face was angular and strong-looking. One sharp hazel, almost golden-yellow eye stared at them, the other a milky white behind a pair of stylishly wire-rimmed glasses. Suzaku realized the doctor was blind in one eye. There were faint silvery grey hairs in the man's black hair, a sign of age, but for all Suzaku knew, the man could have been between thirty and fifty years of age judging by the lack of wrinkles on his countenance. There was something dangerously handsome about the doctor and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Euphie was staring at the doctor, perhaps a bit infatuated.

But something prickled in Suzaku that screamed caution and he greeted the man with a neutral nod. “ _ Doctor, _ ” he said evenly.

“ _ Hello, you must be Kururugi-san, _ ” the doctor extended a hand out and Suzaku shook it firmly before releasing the hand. “ _ I'm Dr. Seishirou Sakurazuka, the owner of the clinic. I was told that there was a stray cat that needed some attention? _ ”

“ _ Yes, _ ” Suzaku stepped to the side to allow Euphie to hold up Arthur. “ _ It seems like its front paw is injured or something. We also don't know how old the cat is or if he has been neutered. We'd like to adopt the cat if possible... _ ”

He watched as the doctor knelt down to quickly examine Arthur's injured paw, the man's long elegant fingers deftly dodging an angry swipe and hiss from the cat before seemingly picking it up by the scruff of his neck. Arthur immediately became placid, blinking its yellow eyes as it hung in the man's large hand.

“Cat whisperer,” Euphie looked amazed.

“Thank you,” Dr. Sakurazuka replied in perfect English. “I've had much practice in avoiding strikes and blows from things that don't quite take to me.”

Euphie giggled.

“Give me an hour or so and the cat will be able to go home with you,” the doctor smiled before he left with Arthur still placidly hanging in his hand.

“ _ The doctor has a deft hand _ ,” Suzaku commented and the receptionist laughed lightly.

“ _ He is used to handling unruly animals and occasionally people _ ,” she said before she gestured towards the seats. “ _ Do either of you wish for any refreshments while you wait? _ ”

“Euphie? Anything to drink?” he asked in English.

“No, I'm good,” Euphie shook her head and Suzaku nodded at the receptionist.

“ _ No, thank you, _ ” he replied and she smiled at them before turning back to her paperwork.

Suzaku settled into the chair in the lobby of the clinic, pulling out his phone and absently scrolling through the latest news articles that interested him. Euphie thumbed through a Japanese glamour magazine, seemingly looking at the pictures more than reading the articles.

“Hey, we should probably get cat toys or something like that, right?” Euphie suddenly spoke up. Suzaku blinked and looked at her. “And maybe call the hotel to see if pets are allowed?”

“...Shit...” Suzaku cursed quietly as he realized he had forgotten about that little detail. “Uh..?” He glanced down at his phone and quickly navigated to the hotel's website, trying to read up if they were pet friendly or not. The website was unhelpful. “Maybe I can ask  _ Tohdoh-sensei _ if he and Nagisa can take care of the cat until we leave?”

“Good idea, though maybe that's imposing on them?”

“ _ Tohdoh-sensei _ didn't seem to mind the cats at the shrine,” Suzaku shrugged. “Let me ask.” He dialed Tohdoh's cell as he stepped outside of the clinic. Two rings and there was a click.

“ _ Suzaku? _ ”

“ _ Awkward question, but necessary. How do you feel about cats? _ ” Suzaku decided to bite the bullet and ask.

“ _ They don't bother me. Nagisa likes them, _ ” Tohdoh replied, “ _ though you remember Kaguya-sama is- _ ”

“ _ Very allergic to them, yeah, I remember, _ ” Suzaku replied. Kaguya absolutely detested the cats and made sure that she had dogs around the Sumeragi shrines to keep cats away.

“ _ So...Euphie and I found a stray... _ ”

He did not have to imagine his mentor's expression as a very exasperated sigh came across the line in an electronic garble.

“ _ It's only for until we return to Pendragon. We just need a place to keep the cat until we can get all of the paperwork sorted- _ ”

“ _ I can get those started for you, Suzaku, _ ” Tohdoh's voice, while resigned, was warm and Suzaku perked up.

“ _ Really? _ ”

“ _ The cat cannot stay at the Shatterdome. Nagisa  _ will _ abscond with it when we move by end of the week and as much as I tolerated them at your family's shrine and dojo, I will not live with one on a permanent basis. Dealing with Colonel Breisgau's cat is a headache enough, especially since it wanders where its not invited, _ ” Tohdoh warned.

“ _Nagisa will have to fight Euphie for Arthur,_ ” Suzaku could only imagine the two going at it like they had during the sparring test at the end of Term 1. Technically, he didn't see it, but he did catch glimpses of it in Lelouch's memories.

“ _ Arthur, huh? _ ”

“ _ Arthur, _ ” Suzaku shrugged, even though his mentor could not see it. “ _ Thank you sensei, we'll stop by later tonight with the cat. It'll be neutered by then so it'll probably be sleepy for a while. I'll also buy some temporary items to keep it entertained and comfortable while he rests in his carrier. Don't worry sensei, all you and Nagisa have to do is watch over Arthur and we'll pick him up before we leave. _ ” He saw a pet shop across the street. It was small, but it probably had the basic items to take care of a cat until they returned to Pendragon where more specialized ones could be ordered.

“ _ Suzaku, _ ” Tohdoh's voice was calm, slow and Suzaku paused.

“ _ Hai? _ ”

“ _ Congratulations on adopting a cat, but please, so the cat does not take your personality traits, calm down, _ ” Tohdoh said and Suzaku grinned.

“ _ Yes sir, _ ” he replied before he hung up.

He stared at the phone for a second before taking a deep breath and opening the door to the clinic. Euphie's head looked up as did the receptionist at the jingle of bells on the door.

“He'll do it until we leave,” Suzaku confirmed. “He also said he'll help us with the paperwork!”

“Great!” Euphie looked happy.

“I saw a pet store across the street, going to go get some supplies.”

“ _ I'm sorry, I don't mean to cut in, but I heard the words pet shop? _ ”

“ _ Yes? _ ” Suzaku looked at the receptionist who smiled at him.

“ _ Mention our clinic and they'll give you a discount, Kururugi-san, _ ” the receptionist said and Suzaku nodded.

“ _ Thank you, _ ” he closed the door behind him and headed across the street. He came back about half an hour later with a small bag of kitty litter, a pan and scoop, some cans of food, a bowl for water, a couple of pillows for the carrier and two cat toys, one of which had a little wispy feather at the end of it.

Euphie had taken the feather toy out and played with it as they waited for Dr. Sakurazuka to finished with Arthur. Suzaku had brought a small guide on cats and caring for one and started to read it. He was absorbed into the book that he didn't pay much attention as the door opened and a set of heavy footsteps was heard walking in. He absently noted that they wore a stylish set of combat-style boots, but were also pretty practical looking.

“ _ Ah, he's in the back doing a quick surgical procedure. Do you want to wait or head back? _ ” the receptionist's voice was warm and familiar.

“ _ I'll wait, _ ” the voice was warm, kind and Suzaku started a little at the familiar tones.

He looked up from his book. The man that had walked in was slim and tall. From behind, he was dressed in an beige trench coat that was a similar design to the black one Suzaku wore. He had short black hair that went down to the nape of his neck and covered parts of his ears.

“ _ New pet, Miss? _ ” the man asked and Euphie opened and closed her mouth.

“ _ Uh, I...uh- not good with Japanese, _ ” she started haltingly.

The man laughed, a warm sound before he turned his head slightly and Suzaku froze. He recognized the shape of the face that was profiled from the side. His eyes darted down to the man's hand and saw the barest faint impression of an inverted pentagram on the back.

“ _...Uncle Subaru? _ ” he tested quietly, carefully. The man turned and Suzaku could not help the wide smile that appeared on his lips. “ _ It is you! _ ”

“ _ Suzaku-kun? _ ” Subaru Sumeragi looked far more youthful than his thirty-something years, but there were perhaps hints of silver in his jet black hair that framed his heart shaped face. His eyes were the exact same color as Suzaku's own, an emerald green that denoted the family ties they shared with their mutual cousin Kaguya.

Suzaku stood up, setting the book down as his saw his uncle open his arms slightly – an invitation for a hug – and embraced him. He felt like he was five years old again – the last time he had ever seen his uncle. The hug was warm as ever, but considerably shorter and to Suzaku's chagrin, they were nearly the same height, his uncle just an inch taller. He stepped back as Subaru released him and couldn't help the smile as his uncle kept a hold of both of his arms, taking him in.

“ _ You've...grown, _ ” Subaru squeezed his arms gently. “ _ And- _ ”

“ _ Jaeger Academy, _ ” he rushed out, “ _ and Tohdoh-sensei's years of training. _ ”

The smile that broke out on his uncle's face was as handsome as ever and made him look even more youthful. It also had the added effect of making Subaru look eerily like a mirror of Suzaku's long-dead mother, Hokuto. All of the pictures he had of her, whether it was with his father Genbu or friends and even with Subaru, showed that she was an almost identical match to her twin brother, Subaru. The only difference was that she dressed a little more feminine than her brother.

Subaru let his arms go and gestured towards Euphie. “ _ Friend of yours? _ ”

“ _ Oh! _ ” Suzaku blushed a little before he realized he needed to introduce his uncle to Euphie. He turned as Euphie stood up, a soft smile on her face. “ _ Uncle Subaru, this is Euphemia li Britannia, my J-Tech Chief, err...you know of Gipsy Danger- _ ”

“ _ I know, and I am proud of you, Suzaku-kun, _ ” Subaru extended a hand out to shake Euphie's.

“Euphie, this is my uncle, Subaru Sumeragi,” he introduced in English.

“ _ A pleasure to meet you, _ ” Euphie's Japanese was halting and stilted, but she bowed her head slightly.

“My English isn't great either Princess, but good to meet you,” Subaru's accent was heavy, but understandable. “I listen better than speaking.”

Euphie laughed. “ _ Same here, _ ” Euphie replied in her halting Japanese.

“ _ So... _ ” Subaru started glancing between them, “ _ new pet? _ ”

“ _ Mascot, for Gipsy Danger, _ ” Suzaku realized that the last time he had technically talked to his uncle, it had been within a sakura-filled illusion. It certainly explained the feeling he had when he had met Dr. Sakurazuka. The doctor was more than likely  _ the _ Sakurazukamori if his uncle was here in this clinic asking after him. Suzaku had no spiritual power of his own, but he was sensitive to it, much like his mother had been.

“ _ We found a stray and its front paw was injured so the nearest clinic was here, _ ” Suzaku shrugged. “ _ Dr. Sakurazuka said that he would be able to neuter Arthur and we'd be able to adopt him then. _ ”

“ _ That's very kind of you, _ ” Subaru's eyes were soft.

“ _ Actually, Arthur is a 'she' not a 'he, Kururugi-kun, _ ” the doctor's deep tones made the three of them turn to see him walking out with a basic plastic carrier and sleepy-looking Arthur with a cone around its neck. The injured front paw was expertly bandaged up and held with a small brace.

“ _ What? _ ” Suzaku was surprised as the doctor set the carrier down on the countertop.

“ _ Hello, Subaru, _ ” the doctor acknowledged Subaru's presence and Suzaku did not miss the lack of an honorific tacked onto his uncle's name. It all but cemented the fact that the doctor was indeed the same one that he had felt the brief flare of power all those months ago – the Sakurazukamori  _ and _ his uncle's beloved.

“ _ Seishirou, _ ” Subaru returned the greeting with a fond look in his eyes.

“Something wrong?” Euphie asked.

“Oh, no, I mean...Arthur's a girl-cat, not a boy-cat...” Suzaku did not how he felt about  _ that _ particular mistake.

“Oh,” Euphie tilted her head to the side. “Arthur.”

He shot her a look. “We're keeping the name?”

She nodded. “I mean, we could change it to Guinevere, but then I'd have to call the cat the name for one of my sisters and that's...”

Suzaku laughed lightly. “Okay, Arthur,” he grinned at her before turning back to the doctor. “ _ Thank you, for all that you've done. _ ”

“ _ I see you've stopped by the pet store, _ ” Dr. Sakurazuka's gestured wordlessly at the bag of supplies that was on one of the chairs. “ _ If the cat will be a part of your family, you and the Princess will have to be good parents to her. _ ”

“ _ We will, _ ” Suzaku nodded solemnly. He could hear the warning in the doctor's tone. He wondered how many pets had the doctor treated only for it to be abandoned by its owners in the near future. “ _ And it'll be a group effort. Gipsy Danger's mascot. _ ”

The doctor's nod was curt before he waved an absent hand at them and headed back into the office.

“ _ Don't mind the doctor, he tends to get into moods once he finishes an operation and also new pet owners don't exactly inspire him, though you seem to be an exception, _ ” the receptionist smiled, but it did not reach her eyes.

“ _ It's fine, _ ” Suzaku honestly did not mind the abruptness in the man's tone now that he had a inkling of whom he was. A quick glance towards his uncle showed that Subaru was not exactly too happy about the abrupt manner of his significant other, and looked about to go after him. Instead, his uncle turned to him, annoyance hidden behind a gentle smile.

“ _ You're here on leave? _ ”

“ _ Yes, for about four more days, _ ” Suzaku replied.

“ _ Here's my cell, _ ” Subaru pulled out his phone and Suzaku did the same. He quickly typed in the number his uncle rattled off. “ _ I'm pretty busy for the next few days, but if you want to grab a quick bite or something, let me know and I'll move my schedule around a bit. _ ”

“ _ Uncle Subaru- _ ”

“ _ It's been too long, Suzaku-kun. And...from what happened last time, I feel I owe it to you to explain a few things. _ ”

“ _ You don't- _ ”

“ _ I do, _ ” his uncle insisted.

Suzaku sighed. “ _ All right... _ ” He glanced down at his own phone. “ _ Tomorrow then? Lunch at- _ ”

“ _ I'll text you the details and time, _ ” Subaru replied.

Suzaku nodded before he reached out to hug his uncle once more. He received a fond ruffle of his own hair – to which he gave his uncle a look that was ignored – before watching his uncle disappear into the back of the office. He turned to the receptionist who had been trying to ignore their conversation by shuffling the paperwork around.

“ _ So- _ ”

“ _ Dr. Sakurazuka left a note that no charges were necessary except for just supplies used for bandaging up the cat's injured paw. _ ”

“ _ But- _ ”

“ _ He's a bit of a softie, _ ” the receptionist smiled as if she was used to the doctor's unique quirks. “ _ Plus, since Subaru-san is here, there will be hell raised if he were to charge you aside from familial obligations. _ ”

Suzaku grimaced. “ _ Are you sure? _ ” He honestly did not like that he was being treated differently, even if it was a bit of a familial obligation. It was for that very fact that made him uncomfortable considering that he had all but turned his back on his family name.

“ _ Perfectly sure, _ ” the receptionist nodded and Suzaku gave her his card to which she promptly swiped and had him sign the receipt. His card was returned and Suzaku thanked her again for her help before he nodded to Euphie as she gingerly picked up the cat carrier. Arthur meowed a sleepy protest, before curling up again, clearly too tired from everything to really make a scene.

“Aww...you'll be fine Arthur,” Euphie murmured as they thanked the receptionist again and headed out.

“Lelouch says to bring Arthur over for dinner. A certain person wants to see the cat,” Euphie said as they headed back to the rail lines to take it to Ashford. Lelouch had insisted that they spend today's dinner at Ashford and Suzaku had a feeling that his partner was the one cooking the food. He was looking forward to a good meal tonight.

“Okay, let me let Tohdoh know that we'll bring the cat over after dinner then,” he quickly texted the news to his sensei and received a confirmation in return. It was quickly followed by a message from Nagisa who sent a cat and baby rattle emoji over. Suzaku chuckled quietly and showed Euphie the message and she shook her head. It seemed everyone wanted to see the newest member of Gipsy Danger.

They exited the train, thankfully not too packed with daily commuters at the time of the day. Japan's work culture tended to work long hours into the early evening with late night dinners or dinners to go. The sun was already setting as they walked from the station to Ashford Academy's gates and stepped in. The sounds of the on-campus clubs finishing up was heard while some students brushed past them as they left, others seemed to head into the dorms. Suzaku noticed that those headed towards the dorms were Britannian while the ones headed off campus were Japanese. He supposed it made sense from the fact that it was a Britannian school and perhaps Japanese landlords weren't keen on renting to Britannians.

“Hang on one sec...I think I know where they'll be but let's check the campus map,” Euphie directed them towards a large sign where a map of the campus was laid out with various building names and the subjects they housed as well as classroom numbers. From what Suzaku had gathered based on some casual conversation he had with Milly over the last year, Ashford was built like a Britannian university system, classes not divided by grades, but by room numbers for each varying subject. It was different from the Japanese school model where the students were divided by class and group based on testing, but kept in sections and teachers rotated in and out to teach different subjects at different times.

“Ah, over here,” Euphie pointed to a small building adjacent to the one that housed both Administration and the Student Council. It was next to the library and chapel. They started walking towards it.

“So, did you talk to Lelouch about Arthur?” Euphie asked.

“I thought you did since you said Lelouch said for us to bring Arthur over?” Suzaku asked.

“I mean, where Arthur's going to stay when we get back to the Shatterdome,” Euphie clarified.

“No...I was going to ask him if he was comfortable with a cat in our room,” Suzaku replied.

“Let me know, okay? I don't mind taking care of Arthur and letting him wander the Shatterdome.”

Suzaku nodded as they took the small shallow steps up to a building that was marked 'staff only.' Euphie knocked and Suzaku saw a shadow of someone peering through one of the windows near the door. The shadow disappeared and the door opened to reveal Sayoko who bowed towards them in a greeting.

The aroma that wafted from the kitchen was mouthwatering.

“ _ Sayoko-san, good to see you again, _ ” Suzaku greeted in Japanese, mirroring the bow. Euphie nodded once and dipped a small curtsy.

“ _ Euphemia-hime, Suzaku-sama, _ you're just in time,” the maid gestured for them to head into the living areas.

Suzaku shed his shoes, Euphie doing the same before they walked towards the kitchen and dining room. Suzaku could feel his own stomach rumble as he breathed in the smells of whatever Lelouch was cooking. He set the bag of cat related items down near the edge of the dining room and smiled as he saw Nunnally, sitting in a egg-shell-style wheelchair in the midst of folding what looked like paper cranes.

Beyond her, in the kitchen, he saw flashes of black hair dressed in a rather feminine pink apron wander back and forth, Lelouch hard at work finishing whatever he was cooking.

“Nunnally!” Euphie's enthusiastic greeting brought the blind girl's head up from where she was folding by touch.

“Euphie!” She greeted with a smile and it was exactly like the one he remembered a little under a year ago when he first met her.

“I brought a guest, well, two guests with me!” Euphie reached out with a free hand and suddenly dragged Suzaku forward. He saw her lips move in a quick shushing motion before he nodded and quietly stepped forward until he knelt down beside her wheelchair.

Suzaku took one of Nunnally's hands into his own and cupped it with his other one, letting her feel the familiar callouses and warmth. Her face broke out into a wide smile not even a second later.

“Suzaku!” Her other hand reached out and gently touched his cheek and he smiled against the feel.

“Hello Nunnally,” he greeted quietly as his partner's beloved sister's hand curled into his own and gave it a brief squeeze. “How have you been?”

“Good,” Nunnally's voice quavered, but she seemed to have marshaled whatever inner strength she had and swallowed heavily. “Better now that you're here and that I know you are doing better.”

Suzaku did not need to know on the slight tremble of Nunnally's hands that she had been as afraid, if not perhaps more than Lelouch had after Yamarashi. It was sweet of her, to care so much for a person she had only met once. “I'm better now, thank you,” he moved his hands so that they were sitting on top of hers. “And I'm sorry for worrying you.”

He felt the barest pressure in the bond and looked up to see Lelouch staring fondly down at him. His partner looked rather adorable, dressed in a frilly pink apron over the clothes he had worn to Ashford. A spatula was in his hand and there were smudges of white powder over parts of his face and his hair. Suzaku smiled slightly at the appearance and saw his friend seemingly brush an absent piece of lint from his shoulder – a signal that he wanted to chat with him alone if possible.

He tilted his head to the side in acknowledgment before turning back to Nunnally. “We'll get plenty of time to talk more. Euphie said she brought two special guests so I don't want to take up all of your time.”

“Two?” Nunnally sounded puzzled and Suzaku glanced back to see Euphie holding up the cat carrier with a cheerful smile on her face. Behind her, Sayoko waited at the threshold, a pleasant expression on her face, but he could see the twinkle in her eyes as her brown eyes darted towards the cat carrier. He withdrew his hands from Nunnally's own, but not before squeezing it in reassurance and let Euphie take his spot.

“So, Nunnally...” Euphie started as Suzaku stood up and took the few steps towards the kitchen, following Lelouch into the slightly stifling room.

It smelled even  _ better _ in the kitchen and he made a contented sound as he closed his eyes to breathe the smells in. He opened it as he hear an undignified snort issue from his partner's mouth over the sounds of fans running and the pan sizzling with something being cooked.

“Maybe it's good there's sea bass for tonight,” Lelouch said as he checked the pots and pans. He seemed satisfied with his check as he began to plate what looked like a perfectly steamed fish – done in an Asian fashion with green onions, ginger and some light seasoning of salt. Hints of brown were sprinkled on top of the skin, soy sauce for flavoring. It was mostly to let the fish's natural flavors absorb and produce a very simple taste.

“Are you mad that we suddenly decided to adopt a cat?” Suzaku realized he did not exactly consult Lelouch on whether or not he wanted cat around Gipsy Danger, or the fact that he would probably have some cat hair in clothing to deal with now. He knew his partner was not allergic to cats, but that was about it.

“Eh,” Lelouch shrugged. “Euphie said he-

“She. We were told Arthur is a she.”

“-She,” Lelouch nodded, “is going to be Gipsy's mascot so it's not necessarily staying with us, right?”

“If you don't want him...her to,” Suzaku stumbled over his pronouns as he tried to reconcile the fact that Arthur was actually a she. Maybe he could convince Euphie to change the name to Artoria or something...a more feminine version of Arthur.

He saw Lelouch's lips purse a little in a clear indication that he was a little unhappy, but reluctantly nod. “Sorry...I'm...not good with pets in our room...” Lelouch looked at him.

Suzaku nodded. He wanted to say that he should have asked, that it should have been a mutual agreement, but in the spur of the moment of things, it was something he knew he  _ wanted  _ to do, to make sure Arthur was given a good home and with Euphie there... He sighed instead and nodded. “Euphie offered to house Arthur in the times he's not set to wander the Shatterdome.  _ Tohdoh-sensei _ also offered to take care of Arthur until we leave Japan...” He trailed off as he realized that when they headed to the Hawai'i leg of their trip, they technically were staying in Lelouch's house.

“Euphie is staying in the guest room and Arthur can stay there,” Lelouch continued smoothly as if he had not realized his mistake. “When Sayoko goes back to check on the property, I'll let her know to clean the room of cat hair.”

Suzaku definitely winced. “I...should have-”

“It's fine,” Lelouch waved a hand at him as he turned back to check on another part of the meal he was cooking. “Just something we've never considered.” He seemed satisfied with what he was looking at and plated the dish before finally check on the oven. A heavenly smell wafted as he opened the door and Suzaku could see that it was part of a pork loin and shoulder that was being cooked.

“That smells so good...” he absently said and saw Lelouch smile a little as he hefted the heavy pan out with a grunt.

“Can you-” Lelouch gestured towards the other dishes that were ready for consumption and Suzaku nodded, finding a pair of gloves and putting them on before he started to carry the first dish out.

“Lelouch?” he asked.

“Hmm?”

“Are you really okay with Arthur?” Suzaku was a little worried. He had broken a cardinal rule in their partnership and technically upset the equality and communication lines they had by hastily adopting Arthur without consulting his partner first. It left him a little off balanced and he needed to know that Lelouch was going to be fine with Arthur.

“If he eats my sea bass, we'll be fine,” his partner replied and for a second Suzaku didn't know if Lelouch was serious or not, but felt the small kernel of affection roll through their bond and sighed in relief. Lelouch was okay with Arthur in what he had just asked – that the cat not stay with them when in the Shatterdome – but was okay with everything else.

He briefly set the plate he had been carrying down and walked over to where Lelouch was carving up the pork a bit to check on how well-done the food was. He quickly pecked him on the cheek with his thanks before picking the food up again and headed out to the dining room.

There he saw Nunnally gently petting a sleepy, but awake Arthur, the cat absently trying to lick himself at the surgical site, but with the cone around his head, unable to. The cat plaintively meowed at him as he approached with the food, as if trying to blame him for his current condition or for some help, he couldn't tell. But it was clear Arthur saw him as perhaps a provider – or food holder since he was carrying the sea bass. He smiled, everything was going to be all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter of how Arthur joined Team Gipsy Danger (and a huge cameo to "Tokyo Babylon"). The reference to Elizabeth's status as a mascot cat for Team Cherno Alpha is based off of an old anime series called "IGPX" where the mascot of the team was a cat.
> 
> Also this story re-imagines the implied scenario of what if Subaru actually won the Bet with Seishirou? (Albeit in a twisted way.)


	24. The Cultists Arc - Tokyo Annex III

Nunnally absolutely adored the super deformed model of Gipsy Danger that Euphie had brought at the museum and gifted to her. Lelouch had teased Suzaku during dinner about the highly disgruntled picture that had been sent in the group text. Suzaku found out that a Britannian girl named Alice Nemo, had become best friends with Nunnally and in an ironic twist that even Lelouch had pointed out, Alice seemed to be Nunnally's unofficial Knight considering how she had defended her from three bullies that threatened her on her first day of classes a few months ago.

It was the first time Suzaku had seen Nunnally blush, her resemblance to Lelouch even greater in that moment. Euphie took advantage of it and teased her younger half-sister mercilessly. The only caveat was that Nunnally said Alice suspected her true identity, but she never confirmed nor denied it to her friend. None of them had any answer or advice for her after that confession – they all knew the reason why she was moved to Tokyo and also why she went under an assumed name. The dinner ended with everyone in good spirits.

Suzaku and Euphie had returned to the hotel room later that evening, after dropping Arthur off with Nagisa and Tohdoh. Lelouch opted to stay in the guest bedroom of the apartment-style suite that Nunnally had been given by the Ashfords. Milly and her grandfather were to join Nunnally and Lelouch for breakfast the next day and Lelouch wanted to cook for them to thank them for their generosity in safekeeping his sister.

Euphie was to join Nunnally and Lelouch afterwards for morning classes, the two of them discreet guests of Nunnally's as visiting Britannian relatives of “Elizabeth Kingsley” who was a distant cousin of the Ashfords. It left Suzaku with plenty of time in the morning to visit Arthur who was more awake, and play with the cat for a few hours in Nagisa's office while filling out the paperwork Tohdoh had promised to start for him in order to authorize Arthur's stay with the team. It also gave Suzaku plenty of time to meet up with his uncle Subaru for lunch. He received a text to join him at the top of a well known highrise of top tiered business ventures and arrived at the restaurant feeling a little under dressed at how fancy the placed look.

However, he saw Subaru sitting at one of the tables, dressed in a similar manner as he had – familiar trench coat and plain shirt and jeans – and headed over to the table feeling a little better about his choice of clothing. The separation of tables in the restaurant told him that this was a very high-end one that valued customer privacy.

“ _ How's your cat? _ ” Subaru asked as he sat down and thumbed through the menu.

“ _ Much more active today. He, er, she- _ ” Suzaku stumbled again and rolled his eyes. “ _ He's staying with Tohdoh-sensei and Nagisa-san until we leave Tokyo. _ ” Subaru glanced at him and Suzaku flushed. “ _ I...didn't exactly ask Lelouch how he felt when we decided to adopt the cat... _ ”

Subaru raised an eyebrow before smiling slightly. “ _ Well, you were always impulsive...I think that's from me and Hokuto. _ ”

Suzaku nodded. “ _ Thank you for having lunch with me. I, uh, didn't think- _ ”

“ _ I heard through my contacts a bit of what happened, and I am very attuned to the spiritual disturbances, especially that of the Kururugi Shrine, so I have a feeling of what happened, _ ” his uncle seemed cool and confident as he spoke. “ _ Plus it is an opportunity that could not be wasted after so many years. _ ”

The waiter came by then and they ordered, a pleasant silence enveloping them for a few minutes before Suzaku felt brave enough to venture his next question. “ _ So...Dr. Sakurazuka... _ ”

Subaru smiled softly and nodded. “ _ Would it surprise you that Hokuto and I kept the initial year or so of my relationship with him hidden from the 12 _ _ th _ _ Head? _ ” Suzaku shook his head and his uncle continued. “ _ The 12 _ _ th _ _ Head was livid when she found out and I knew she thought it as a passing fancy at first, but even more when she found out who he really was. _ ”

“ _ The Sakurazukamori. _ ”

“ _ The Sumeragi's mortal enemy in the world of onmyoji, or at least that's what everyone in the clan was taught. _ ”

“ _ Was taught? _ ”

“ _ Well... _ ” Subaru stared down at his hands that were resting on the tabletop. The faint imprint of inverted pentagrams glistened in the natural light from the spacious windows. “ _ If you think about it...we're both the same sides of a coin, the yin to the yang. We both protect Japan through our own means and powers. The Sakurazukamori does it from the shadows; assassinations or the 'dirty jobs' no one wants to have. The Sumeragis do it in the light, the more...visible and accepted presence if you will. _ ”

“ _ Makes sense, _ ” Suzaku nodded and saw the slight hint of surprise in his uncle's eyes. He had a feeling that Subaru had to parse such an explanation to his clansmen once they found out about his relationship. Knowing all he knew regarding Kaguya and the rest of the Sumeragis, the clan had not accepted Subaru's defense of his relationship with his partner.

Suzaku licked his lips for a second before pausing as the waiter returned with their food. They dug in and for a few minutes, the sound of tinkling silverware was only heard before Suzaku cleared his throat, both out of politeness and because he truly did have a little lingering irritation. “ _ Can I ask...what you do now? _ ”

“ _ I still accept jobs on behalf of the clan, but as an onmyoji contracted to the clan. Kaguya receives all of the requests and distributes them to members all over Japan. I happen to be the one based in Tokyo. In ways, she acts more like mediator and manager than as the spiritual head. _ ” Subaru shrugged. “ _ I'm not mentioned during clan meetings and don't get the invites. Just the requests. _ ”

Suzaku frowned. “ _ That's... _ ”

“ _ Harsh, but in order to maintain the peace and balance after everything? I don't mind, _ ” his uncle didn't look unhappy. “ _ It's also for the best since the cousins all think I'm a bad influence. _ ”

Suzaku snickered. “ _ I probably didn't help things then. _ ” He poked at his food a little before sipping the sparkling water that had been ordered. “ _ Ayato, Makoto and Sana bore witness to the breaking of the engagement, _ ” he said quietly. “ _ Kaguya withdrew it. My father was not happy. _ ”

“ _ She was always progressive. Something I noted about her when she was growing up and was apprenticed for a few years with the 12 _ _ th _ _ Head, _ ” Subaru looked thoughtful, “ _ I wonder if the 12 _ _ th _ _ Head realized that when she named Kaguya to be her successor at a very young age. She had average spiritual power, but enough to make a show of keeping the family line in Kyoto and making her part of the main Sumeragi branch instead of a cousin. _ ”

“ _ I'll defer to your wisdom, Uncle, _ ” Suzaku looked at the green eyes who stared back curiously. “ _ She was a brat when we were asked to represent our clans at the K-Watch station. _ ”

Subaru laughed lightly. “ _ From what I've observed, so were you at your young age. _ ”

Suzaku was not exactly surprised that his uncle, even for all of his years out of contact, somehow kept an eye on him from a distance. He had no ounce of spiritual power except perhaps the smallest drop that enabled him to see his uncle's shiki – and only Subaru's – but had chalked it up to the fact that it was because he was blood related. The fact that he also was not in contact for so long didn't seem surprising too considering it sounded like the Sumeragi clan exiled him from any and all proceedings except for those jobs that needed an onmyoji.

“ _ I'd like to say I matured? _ ” He childishly stabbed a wilted green from the plate and ate it.

“ _ The hasty adoption of a stray cat with your...J-Tech Chief? _ ” He ended that with a question and a quick nod from Suzaku, continued. “ _ Could be a sign of growing maturity, if you care for the animal properly. _ ”

“ _ It'll be a team effort. Lelouch doesn't mind and Arthur's staying with Euphie for the most part. I was hoping it'll raise morale on our team too, _ ” he added the last part softly. He had hoped that perhaps a team pet would help with the stress all of them were under being posted to Pendragon. Calares' bullying, then Yamarashi followed by him getting laid up with kaiju blue, along with learning that Calares was assassinated had left the team a little ragged, exhausted and worried. The ten day leave they were granted was much needed, but he hoped that perhaps with a team pet around, it would help people cope better in the next kaiju attack.

“ _ We're proud of you, Suzaku, _ ” Subaru finished with his plate and set his chopsticks to the side. “ _ Seishirou and myself. He won't show it, not in his nature to, but he thinks the two of you are doing a wonderful job. So do I. _ ”

“ _ Have...the kaiju affected the...ley lines? _ ”

“ _ Ley lines, _ ” Subaru confirmed. “ _ And no. At least not the ones that have attacked Tokyo. We've been putting up wards and getting rid of the bad omens once the attacks are finished, but it's all physical damage for the most part. It seems these kaiju are not spiritual at all...just perhaps from a different dimension. Oddly, kaiju blue does seem to retain a bit of a spiritual residue of sorts on it. Some of the more ill patients I had to deal with seemed to have attracted bad spirits towards them since they suffer from kaiju blue, but we don't know if that's because of the pain and suffering or if its from the blue. _ ”

“ _ It's not consistent? _ ”

“ _ No, _ ” Subaru shook his head. “ _ Both Sei and I have been attempting to figure it out from both angles and we've not come up with anything. _ ”

They left that conversation thread at that as Subaru took a sip of the sparkling water. “ _ So, your J-Tech Chief, Princess Euphemia li Britannina? _ ”

“ _ Yep, _ ” Suzaku smiled a little. “ _ That's her. _ ”

“ _ She's...not what I expected, _ ” Subaru admitted.

“ _ She gets that a lot, _ ” Suzaku chuckled. “ _ And really down to Earth once you get to know her. Very sweet, kind and caring. She's the friendliest of all of the royals I've met so far and I'm including Lelouch in there. _ ”

“ _ Not so friendly? _ ”

This time Suzaku laughed. “ _ Definitely not, _ ” he tilted his head a little. “ _ Did you... _ ”

“ _ Yes and no, _ ” his uncle pressed his lips together for a second, forming his words carefully before speaking again. “ _ That night...I felt...something around you, but in the sense that I knew somehow it was someone protecting you, if that makes any sense. That it wanted to make the pain go away and that it loved you. That's about it... It was an educated guess who the 'it' was if your appearances on TV were any indication. _ ”

“ _ Ah, _ ” Suzaku finished his food and set his own utensil down. He pushed his plate aside. “ _ Lelouch is very exacting, _ ” he started, “ _ if you become his enemy, it'll be a very long time or perhaps not at all for you to get back into his good graces. He doesn't trust easily even if he says so. Not a really friendly person at first glance. _ ”

“ _ And Euphemia is the opposite? _ ”

“ _ In the sense that she's scarily observant, _ ” Suzaku smiled wistfully. “ _ She's able to pick apart people in one glance. She does it in a friendly manner too, but it was interesting to see her take down the  _ Purist  _ faction after one of their major players got kicked out of the Academy back in Term 1. _ ”

“Purist?”

“ _ Oh, the Britannian faction that basically thinks that no one who's a civilian or non-royalty should be in the military. They kind of had it in their heads that only Britannians should be in the Jaeger Program. Between Lelouch and Euphie, the two of them pulled out their metaphoric fangs. _ ”

His uncle's lips quirked up in a small smile as the waiter came by to clear their plates and asked if they wanted dessert. The two of them declined and the waiter said everything would be on Subaru's usual tab.

“ _ You've a tab? Here? _ ”

“ _ Owed favors, _ ” the older man replied as they headed out of the restaurant. “ _ There is a particular client here that keeps asking for spiritual help and I've long pinpointed the cause of the multiple wards I've had to repair every few months, but client is rather...particular about the employee in question. _ ”

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, a little surprised at the revelation as he could not quite remember his uncle ever complaining about clients. He supposed with age, there was perhaps a certain method of thinking, especially from a repeat client.

“ _ Don't ever keep secrets from the ones you love, Suzaku. It creates bad omens if it's allowed to fester, _ ” Subaru pressed the button to have the elevator take them down to the ground floor.

Back on the ground, Suzaku hugged his uncle briefly, smiling as he felt the squeeze in return. “ _ I'm sorry I can't stay longer- _ ”

“ _ It's enough that you were able to carve out time for me and even provide lunch, so I can't ask for more, Uncle Subaru, _ ” Suzaku shook his head. “ _ I'm just glad that I was able talk to you. _ ”

Subaru smiled, for a moment reminding Suzaku greatly of the soft smiles he always received from his mother before her death. “ _ Be careful out there, Suzaku. I know it's probably not easy fighting kaiju and keeping all of us safe, but I am very proud of you. I think my sister would be too if she were still here. _ ”

Suzaku nodded. “ _ I would like to think so too, though I always get the sense that she'd be attempting to design my drivesuit instead. _ ”

That one got a very surprised bark of laughter from his uncle as he nodded in agreement. “ _ I'm surprised you remembered all the way back then. _ ”

“ _ Mom loved matching my outfits to hers... _ ” If there was one fond memory he had of his mother besides her soft smiles, it was that she would attempt to dress them in similar outfits, even though he remembered complaining a lot about them growing up. He stopped when she died, his clothing regulated to the simple dark colors with occasional bright ones given as gifts. It hadn't felt right to do it until he met Milly and the others and Milly's ridiculous penchant for costuming.

“ _ Your mother used to match mine to hers before she got married. I think after she had you she was keen on matching you to her, _ ” Subaru replied before sighing wistfully and glancing down at his watch. “ _ Listen- _ ”

“ _ I know. I have your number so we can still text or call, though I'll probably text more just because...time differences and all. _ ”

“ _ Probably a good thing too, _ ” his uncle admitted. “ _ It was good to catch up with you after all these years, Suzaku. _ ”

“ _ You too Uncle. Please give my best to Dr. Sakurazuka and thank him for me for Arthur. I'll send you pictures to show him once we've settled back in Pendragon, okay? _ ”

His uncle nodded, waving a goodbye while walking away. Suzaku watched him disappear around a corner before taking a deep breath. There was the barest hint of the sweet perfume of sakura that lingered. It comforted him.

* * *

Despite his worry about being identified during the Ashford Academy's hanami viewing, it was a pleasant experience to sit on blankets and actually enjoy the multitude of sakura trees in full bloom. Lelouch's promise that Milly was not going to dress them in outrageous costumes was also a surprise. Instead, they were given the Academy's male school uniform and colored contacts. Lelouch's hair was slicked back with some gel and Suzaku's had turned from curly into wavy, just changing their appearance a little bit so that they weren't unrecognizable, but that no one could quite place them if they didn't look too closely.

Milly had tested this by presenting them to Shirley and Rivalz who had come with the other alumni for the annual hanami viewing. The viewing itself was mainly for alumni considering Ashford Academy followed the Britannian school system instead of the Japanese one. Students on the campus went all out in a Hanami Day hosted by the Student Council. They learned that it was Alice Nemo who was the President of the Student Council and “Elizabeth Kingsley” was the Vice President as they opened up the ceremonies in the morning. Booths hosted by the various clubs that were part of Ashford vied for everyone's attention.

If one got tired of sitting and watching the sakura petals fall this way and that, they could spend time learning about the species of sakura and the bloom variations from the Gardening Club, or try their hand at making anko paste with the Cooking Club. There were origami making by the Paper Folding Society and the ultimate end-of-day celebrations was a giant sakuramochi being stirred and made with rice flour slowly prepped throughout the day. It would be shared by everyone who attended in the end.

Apparently his and Lelouch's disguises worked well enough as Shirley and Rivalz had been confused for ten minutes before recognizing them. Suzaku had to admit that Lelouch looked good with dark blue contacts. He wore hazel ones that were more towards the lighter-green spectrum in order not to make his eyes look too unique. What was even better was when Nagisa and Tohdoh arrived – with Arthur in his cat carrier – they stared at them in confusion for a few minutes before identifying them.

Suzaku had to hand it to Milly – she knew when to pull out subtle disguises and when to make the outrageous ones work. They picked a spot to watch the sakura, joined by Nunnally and Sayoko for a few minutes as Nunnally went about her duties as the Vice President. Suzaku also got to bear witness at how effortlessly Nunnally was able to act like she did not know them and thanked them for stopping by. It was like eerily watching one of Lelouch's more grandiose gestures and theatricality, but from a girl he had long thought to be frail.

He definitely had to revise his assumptions after Nunnally left them.

Arthur was let out of the carrier to play around them. Suzaku got his finger bit again as he tried to pet the cat much to the chagrin and laughter of the others. But to Suzaku's pleasure, Arthur seemed to warm up a lot to Lelouch and kept twinning around his arms, demanding to be petted. He could see his partner stare at the cat balefully before scratching it under its chin. Arthur purred and Suzaku and Euphie both smiled at Lelouch who merely gave them a look before shooing the cat away to go elsewhere.

After a couple of hours of watching the blossoms fall and idle conversation, Euphie declared she was going to go find some of the sakuramochi and bring them back to share. She left them, her pink hair flowing behind her. Lelouch got up too, but headed in a different direction. Suzaku did not miss the tugging motion his partner made with the collar of his shirt before he disappeared into the crowd.

He mumbled an excuse after a few minutes to see if he could find Euphie, leaving Tohdoh, Nagisa, Shirley and Rivalz along with Arthur on the blankets. He headed towards the direction Lelouch had gone off to and glanced up to see what was the tallest open area on a building in Ashford. It seemed like one of the main campus areas was open and it looked like it was looking out towards the Quad and the line of sakura trees.

Suzaku headed towards the building, entering and climbing the stairs easily. He arrived on the rooftop and opened the door, a smile forming on his face as he had guessed correctly.

“Lelouch?” he called out as he closed the door behind him and walked over to where his partner was resting his arms against the balustrade on the rooftop over looking the large entrance to the campus and where the clubs had set up their booths. In the distance, one could see small machines kneading the shell of rice flour that would be the outside of the sakuramochi while another was sprinkling pink dye to give its distinctive hue. There was another machine spinning quite a large amount of anko paste.

“Come here,” Lelouch said, lifting an arm towards him and Suzaku obliged. He was a little surprised when he was suddenly drawn in by the waist and held tightly against Lelouch's body. His partner buried his head into his shoulder and tightened his grip around his waist. “Missed you...” Lelouch murmured into his shoulder.

Suzaku reached up to pat him on the head and let his hand rest there. “Missed you too,” he replied. “Did you have fun spending time with Nunnally?”

“It's been great...but I wish-”

“It's your time with her, Lelouch. I don't want to interrupt that. I have you for the rest of the year and until whenever our next leave is. I want you to spend as much time with her,” Suzaku repeated the same thing he had told Lelouch the last time they had leave and the time before that.

“But I want you to spend it with us,” he heard the muffled reply.

“And I enjoyed it, but I know you,” he planted a gentle kiss on top of the gel-covered hair. The top layers felt a little stiff against his lips, but the layers underneath parted like silk.

“Still miss you,” Lelouch murmured, the acceptance and warmth of the truth in their bond for all that was said.

“I know,” he replied, “we leave for Hawai'i the day after tomorrow...” They had a couple of tentative plans set for Hawai'i including a surprise visit to one of the observatories on the Big Island to watch the stars at night. Then there was a visit to Duc and Dr. Lightcap, the doctor saying they could visit whenever they wanted. But most of all, it signaled the beginning of the end of their ten-day leave and back to the machinations of Pendragon.

And a possible audience with the Emperor now that Suzaku was feeling better. He did not need to say it to Lelouch to know that it had been bothering him since the first day after his visit with Nunnally. It wasn't enough to disturb his sleep, but the muted sorrow, rage and indignation was not hard to read in faint wisps each time Lelouch saw Nunnally.

His partner tried to hide it, not wanting to associate his sister with such negative feelings, but the evidence of Nunnally injuries, condition and the fact that she was in hiding did nothing to dissuade Lelouch's thoughts.

Suzaku wondered if he could perhaps make Lelouch forget – for a few hours at least – the worries he always had on his mind. Maybe he could ask Euphie to step out for an afternoon while they were in Oahu just so he could spend a little alone time with his partner. Sex with Lelouch always made him more relaxed and it made Suzaku happy to see his partner in such a state in their post coital bliss. He also almost always loved initiating the acts, happy that Lelouch, for his indifference to sex and initial lack of experience, was considerate enough to reciprocate. One of Suzaku's previous partners, while a nice young woman, was really not physically compatible and they had drifted apart and broken up after a few months of dating.

“Did you at least have fun so far?” Lelouch asked, his voice still muffled by the fabric of the uniforms they wore.

Suzaku smiled slightly. “The bags of souvenirs from the Onibaba museum don't tell you the story?”

There was a warm chuckle in return before Lelouch lifted his head from Suzaku's shoulder. He reached up and suddenly captured his lips in a long, but gentle kiss. Suzaku could taste the hint of mint lip balm on his lover's lips. He deepened the kiss by coaxing his lips open. He resisted the urge to moan at the way Lelouch's arm around him tightened, his other hand reaching up to hold the back of Suzaku's head, long elegant fingers carding through his hair.

Suzaku had to break the kiss after what felt like a few minutes as he felt a slight irritation build up in his chest from the lack of air and the urge to cough was getting stronger. He huffed a little in an approximation of laughter as he saw Lelouch – for once – look quite red-faced as he felt. He cleared his throat and absently wiped the bit of spit they had exchanged from the open-mouthed kiss. Lelouch always got him with the long, passionate kisses that left him weak in the knees, but Suzaku felt a sense of victory at the fact that he was able to make his partner quite red-faced.

Artificial blue eyes stared back at him, soft with adoration, but the spell was broken by a couple of wayward sakura petals floated between them.

“You want to stay up here for a bit?” Suzaku asked quietly.

“Yeah...it's nice down there, but up here...”

“...I know...” he did not need to say anything else. It was a way for them to spend some time together, even if they were in disguise, watching hanami.

* * *

In total, they spent about an hour up on the rooftop away from the hustle and bustle of campus. Suzaku absently told Lelouch about various haikus created to describe and fine the perfect sakura blossom along with the legends surrounding sakura trees. When they returned back down, no one in their group seemed to bat an eye at their absence. Milly had rejoined the group, playing with Arthur while dressed in a rather gaudy costume that was supposed to mimic a perfect sakura blossom of five petals. It was a little  _ too _ pink for Suzaku's tastes.

All in all, the viewing was a success and as the afternoon waned into evening, they said their goodbyes. For Lelouch and Suzaku, they changed out of their disguises, thanking Milly for her one of the more subtle ideas. The three of them left with Tohdoh, Nagisa and Arthur in tow, getting into the car and was surprised as they arrived at a rather small house.

Suzaku realized it was Tohdoh and Nagisa's private residence. It seemed somewhat surreal that Jaeger teams all stayed on base for the most part, their housing in the Shatterdomes itself, but it also stood to reason that regular personnel like maintenance and those assigned to the Shatterdome had off-campus housing and private residences. He had forgotten about that as Nagisa invited them in and told them to get settled while she and Tohdoh prepared dinner.

Suzaku was not surprised to find a Go board and pieces in the living room, but was very surprised to see a Britannian chess set. Lelouch and Euphie sat down to play while Suzaku let Arthur out to roam and teased the cat with the feather toy. As usual, Lelouch beat Euphie several times, but Suzaku noted that Euphie was getting better and it seemed her older half-brother acknowledged it too with each match.

Dinner was served shortly, a homemade Japanese-style meal that reminded Suzaku a lot of his childhood. The dinner conversation was pleasant, sticking with the day's hanami viewing, more mundane topics, Nagisa and Tohdoh's impending move to Nagasaki – though it seemed the two of them were going to keep the small house they had here.

Nagisa also formally let Lelouch and Euphie in on her pregnancy and received congratulations from both of them. There was some mild teasing from Lelouch, of all people, about how Tohdoh had practically raised Suzaku and would be fine with the child Nagisa was sure to give birth to in seven months. That one got both laughs out of everyone and Suzaku sending highly disgruntled feelings towards his partner through their bond.

After dinner, Nagisa challenge Lelouch to another Go match – though Suzaku could see the two of them playing a lot slower than the frenetic matches of the media tour. Euphie was absently entertaining Arthur with the feather toy while watching with some interest as Nagisa explained the game. Tohdoh was doing the dishes while Suzaku dried.

“Something's been troubling you today,” Tohdoh said quietly over the sounds of the water running and dishes being scrubbed.

Suzaku absently rubbed a spot dry on a plate and set it to the side. “Our posting to Pendragon wasn't a coincidence, nor was our involvement in analyzing the cultist operations that attacked Lima...”

Tohdoh's eyes flashed a little before he nodded once. “I...had a feeling, but I wasn't sure. Schneizel el Britannia is not a man to trifle with. At first, I thought that he had seen what I had seen in Lelouch, but I also realized that perhaps he knew Lelouch better than anyone of us considering they were related.”

“Schneizel's requested that Lelouch return to the Britannian family and to make me Lelouch's Knight to make the rumors and stories about our relationship more...palatable to the Britannina public. A way to definitively avoid anymore questions and quell the more derogatory rumors.”

“A Knighthood would upset relations and balance that seemed to have been achieved so far,” Tohdoh's voice was light, reminding him of their conversation after Ragnarok, but Suzaku could hear the undercurrent of caution in his voice.

“I know,” he replied, “politics. Always politics...”

His mentor closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. “It would not change who you are in my eyes, Suzaku.”

Suzaku nodded, smiling fondly as he finished another dish and picked at a bowl to be dried. “Lelouch is worried that I have it in my head I'd give my life for him if I become his Knight. It's not all a Knight does, but neither is he wrong about that part. I just don't want him fixating on that. It was bad enough with Yamarashi and I'm scared that's all he's going to think of if push comes to shove.”

“From what I gathered about his history, he does have a right to worry if you do become his Knight,” Tohdoh replied.

“And I trust him to see this through, but I don't want him fixating on that.” He set the bowl to the side and started to dry another one. “It seemed like in the beginning, we both knew what we were getting into, that we were equal partners, but after Yamarashi...it feels off. Like something was thrown out of balance and I don't know how to fix it.”

“Do you have to fix it?”

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, wondering why Tohdoh was asking him such a question. “Well, yes but-”

“I ask again: do  _ you _ have to fix it?”

Suzaku opened his mouth before his mind registered the emphasis on the word 'you'. He closed his mouth for a second, brow furrowing. “I suppose  _ we _ should fix this...”

Tohdoh's lips quirked up in a small smile as he nodded sagely. “It is natural to worry, especially with Drift partners. With all that's happened to Nagisa, perhaps I feel similar to what Lelouch feels in ways. There is a powerlessness there, that one feels when things are out of a person's control. It seems like your partner's default reaction is to make sure it can't happen again. I started to feel better and also got a reality check from Nagisa when she out-stubborn me on a few things during and after her initial therapy.”

Suzaku chuckled quietly. “I don't know if I can do that with Lelouch. We're both pretty stubborn...” He quieted as he finished another bowl and picked up a few utensils to dry. “I guess...maybe he's coping in his own way by giving me space during this trip?”

As much as Suzaku encouraged Lelouch to spend time with Nunnally and was glad that his partner  _ was _ spending time with his sister, he was also aware that the passionate kiss they shared on top of Ashford's building earlier today was still indicative of Lelouch's worried state of his health along with his words. His partner rarely, if ever initiated romantic gestures or contact since the days of the Academy and only then it had been when they first started to Drift and experienced each other's memories.

Having combat Drifted, having done so many simulations and having lived in each other's heads for a little over a year, they had fallen into patterns and routines that were familiar and one of them was the rare fact that Lelouch only initiated contact when in a private space – not semi-public like the rooftop of Ashford Academy.

Suzaku recognized that the time they spent away from each other during this leave was Lelouch's attempt to both give Suzaku some space, but also for Lelouch himself to control his own reflexive reactions to a situation he could not prevent a loved one from ending up in. He supposed it was some consolation that Lelouch was self-aware enough to try to equalize their partnership again.

“And yet you trust him to do the best for this impending Knighthood after everything?”

Suzaku paused in his wiping as he considered the question. He didn't have to search very far and nodded. “Yes.” He still trusted his partner in that particular situation.

“Then you have your answer.” Tohdoh finished with the last of the dishes and drained the sink, turning on the sink blender to let the water and whatever remnant food get pulverized. He shut the device off after all of the water had been drained.

Suzaku smiled a little. He would continue to act normally around Lelouch. No special treatments, nothing that indicated that he was feeling unbalanced by his partner's actions. A sense of normalcy was what his partner needed. The fact that he still trusted Lelouch's plans and whatever secretive actions he was undertaking would help resolve the current crisis his partner was feeling.

“Thank you,” he replied as he finished drying the last of the utensils and hung the dish towel on its rack.

“Whatever action you take with this Knighthood, you'll always have mine and Nagisa's support, Suzaku. We are very proud of you, both of you.” A firm hand landed on Suzaku's shoulder and squeezed gently before it was removed. With that, they headed into the living room to join Euphie in watching Nagisa and Lelouch's Go match.

* * *

On their last full day in Japan, Suzaku was surprised when Lelouch was going to spend time with him and Euphie instead of with Nunnally. After some – slightly unfair since it was two to one – questioning by him and Euphie, Lelouch admitted that Nunnally had convinced him to enjoy part of his leave with them instead of all with her. It did explain a bit of why Lelouch had acted the way he acted during the hanami party, but Suzaku had filed it away to make sure that if Lelouch was being particularly stubborn in the future to get Nunnally to twist his partner's arm a bit.

He decided to take them outside of Tokyo and booked the quickest First Class tickets on the Shinkansen to Sendai. It turned out to be a good idea as the privacy of the first class enabled them to relax a little bit instead of wondering if they were going to be identified. It also allowed Lelouch and Euphie to truly enjoy the wonders of the Japanese high speed rail system as they watched the scenery zoom past them and marvel at the quiet sound of the train powered by magnetic rails. The Shinkansen lines were currently overseeing massive overhauls after witnessing how rail lines in San Francisco had been devastated by Trespasser. All lines were being converted to a magnetic pulse, aided by advances in Sakuradite technology. The one that connected Sendai and Tokyo – aptly named the Tohoku Shinkansen – was one of the first to use the new mag-lines.

They arrived in about two hours to Sendai and got off to explore what had been dubbed the southern most start of the northern Japanese cities. Sendai was the ancestral home of the famous Date clan of the Sengoku era. It was also where the Kururugi clan became vassals of the powerful clan before switching allegiances to the Toyotomi after the latter's rise and formation of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Aoba Castle was the ancestral home, though mostly in ruins now, there were recreations for them to explore.

They wandered the hilly grounds and the city itself, borrowing bicycles to ride around. Lunch was at a local ramen stand and Suzaku enjoyed seeing Lelouch and Euphie's reaction to one of the many Japanese-type of comfort food. Though Sendai's ramen was a little more thick in terms of broth, than Tokyo's, he enjoyed the heartiness of the meal.

The early afternoon was spent at one of the local shrines and less frequented parks before they headed back to Tokyo, arriving in the late afternoon. Suzaku took them to a local sushi place, a bit of a hole-in-the-wall, but nonetheless had what baffled his friends a bit – a sushi 'conveyor' belt. Small plates of various sushi were plated and sent along in to patrons to pick and choose what they wanted. This particular one had the conveyor in a small floating boat style, but it had been fun seeing his friends' reactions to the concept.

He was not surprised that Lelouch absolutely adored all the various fish ones, but favored octopus and yellowtail while Euphie's palate was not as fish-inclined. She had tried some of the Academy's attempts at sushi, but had found them flavorless – like many of the Japanese students that had tasted them the first time. Euphie preferred that her sushi have tempura or cooked ingredients and vegetarian ones.

Their last stop after dinner was to the Shatterdome where they picked up Arthur and said their goodbyes to Nagisa and Tohdoh. They had gotten permission for Arthur to be in their room for the evening provided that he stay in the cat carrier and paid a small pet fee. Lelouch had generously negotiated with the air carrier on both their flight to Hawai'i and back to Pendragon to allow them to add a pet to their itinerary. Final congratulations were given to Nagisa and they all wished the two of them well in Nagasaki.

Overall, Suzaku slept that night content and finally relaxed enough to have truly enjoyed himself in his home country.


	25. The Cultists Arc - Hawai'i Annex

Their flight from Tokyo to Honolulu was a total of eight hours, taking off during the daylight hours and landing at night. They rented a jeep and drove to the secluded house Lelouch owned on the island. Lelouch had them wait in the car while he disabled all of the security measures that Sayoko had put into place to ensure the anonymity and safety of the property.

Once they were in, they dropped their bags off and drove back out to the nearest bodega to stock up on some basics for food, enough for the three days they were staying. They also found some food and treats for Arthur. Everything would be cleaned up before they left to ensure no unwanted critters would try to rummage through spoiled food. Suzaku was tired enough from the flight to drop to sleep after feeding Arthur and letting him wander around the guest bedroom that was nearest to the front door. His feet automatically took him to the guest room that connected to Lelouch's bedroom. He left Lelouch and Euphie to sort out their insomnia on their own as he slept.

He woke up at the caw of a tropical bird seemingly right next to his ear and blearily opened his eyes to see the faint purple-blues of the sky turning into the red-oranges of the impending dawn. The heavy flap of wings followed by a quick shadow across one of the windows told him that indeed, there had been a tropical bird that acted like his alarm clock.

Suzaku changed into his shorts and tee-shirt before leaving the room. A quick glance at the master bedroom showed no presence of Lelouch and he frowned before he spied a bed of pink hair spilling over the couch in the living room and peered in. A smile appeared on his face as he saw that both siblings were sprawled out on the large piece of furniture, limbs haphazardly splayed out on opposite sides. There was an unfinished chess game between them and he surmised that the two must have fallen asleep some time after he went to bed.

He reached over and shook each of them, eliciting groans and bleary eyes that looked at him. “Come on,” he encouraged them with another shake of their shoulders. “Running along the beach!”

“Okay...” Euphie agreed before yawning widely and rubbing her eyes. She crawled out from the blanket she had been using and absently grabbed her duffel bag before disappearing into the nearby guest bathroom to change.

That left Lelouch and Suzaku could see violet eyes slowly slipping back asleep before he shook his partner's shoulder again.

“What...” Lelouch whined.

“Morning calisthenics!” He chirped.

“...No,” Lelouch did not open his eyes and instead, tried to bury himself deeper into the ridiculous amount of blankets he heaped over himself. He turned over to face the couch itself for good measure but Suzaku was not deterred.

“Come on.” He shook Lelouch's shoulder. “You've had two weeks of me walking around and light jogging. You should be already used to this!”

“It's my vacation...” Lelouch grumbled, trying to latch his hands onto the cushions so that Suzaku couldn't forcibly roll him over and drop him to the ground where the couch met the floor.

“It's mine too,” Suzaku sighed in exasperation as he knelt down onto the couch by Lelouch's back to shake his friend harder. “Come run, it'll be fun. We don't have to run all the time. Pick seashells and point out things to Euphie! It's her first time on Oahu, Lelouch...”

“So...?” Lelouch yawned, but he was starting to sound more awake which Suzaku took as a victory. “You can show her around...”

“We're going to have to go back to the same routine when we get back Lelouch...might as well enjoy the mornings,” Suzaku leaned forward so that his lips were close to the lone ear among the mess of black silky hair that was sticking out of the blanket mound. “Indulge me this morning and I'll let you off the hook for tomorrow...” he whispered quietly.

He lifted his head slightly and watched as Lelouch's neck and cheeks flushed a bright red at the implied meaning of his words. There was a few seconds where Suzaku half-closed his eyes, feeling along the bond between himself and his partner. Exasperation, mingled with a sleepy contentedness as Lelouch weighed his words before just that moment-

“Fine,” Lelouch grumbled, but without malice as he threw back the blankets and sat up. The tee-shirt and pants he had slept in were completely rumpled, but Suzaku grinned as he saw those violet eyes staring back at him. “You'd better keep your promise.”

He laughed as he leaned forward and kissed Lelouch on the lips, not caring that he tasted like morning breath. He broke it after a few seconds, but kept their heads together. “Oh, I'll keep this one...” He did not need to fake the intense desire to have sex with his partner in his head as another pretty blush erupted on Lelouch's face. It died just as quickly as Lelouch rolled his eyes and broke contact by pushing himself up from the couch to go find a change of clothes for himself; just as Euphie opened the bathroom door and came out, hair tied up neatly for her run.

Lelouch slipped past her and closed the door to change as Suzaku got up from the couch and headed down the hallway to lace up his running shoes.

“So...?” Euphie started with a slightly sing-song tone.

“Hmm?”

“When should I be making myself scarce?” Suzaku whipped his head back to see the pink-haired Princess with a cat-like smile on her face.

“Uh...” he opened and closed his mouth as he realized Euphie  _ heard _ what he had implied-

“It's not hard to figure out how you negotiated with Lelouch to get his butt out of bed and actually run, Suzaku. Not after his atrociously bad habits for the last few weeks,” Euphie replied with an air of innocence.

This time, it was Suzaku's turn to blush. “Er...Euphie-”

Euphie patted the seat next to her on the bench near the front door. Suzaku reluctantly sat down and started to tie up his shoes. “I'm teasing you, but I also know that I am technically a third wheel here. You don't need to be such a gentleman to account for my presence and  _ not _ enjoy yourself, Suzaku.”

“Yeah, but...”

“I've been figuring out a good time to visit Duc and Dr. Lightcap, so this is a perfect opportunity. You've even told me that there are rooms at the K-Watch station to stay in, so it seems appropriate. I'll bring Arthur too, so he doesn't bother the two of you.”

Suzaku sighed. “It's not that, it's-”

“Suzaku, I  _ am _ a third wheel on this leg of the trip. I'm not blind, nor am I that prudish. I've seen worst things in Pendragon's gardens and at Menra Villa.” She shook her head fondly. “You and I've been best friends since the beginning, right?”

“R-Right...”

“So,” Euphie smiled, “I know you. Go, enjoy your time with Lelouch. Be yourself. It helps him when you're yourself.” Her smile became just a little impish. “I'd just like a fair warning when certain things start happening so I can avoid being a voyeur.”

Suzaku hung his head and groaned. “Euphie...” He sighed and looked back up, feeling a little better. “Thanks...”

She patted him gently on the back. “That's what friends are for.” The heard the distant sound of the bathroom door opening and closing.

“Probably after dinner,” Suzaku hissed quietly towards her as they saw Lelouch walking towards them.

He looked a bit sleep addled, but with hair tamed down from the massive bedhead he had sleeping on the couch and buried in his blankets. Suzaku surmised that his partner must have either washed his hair in the sink or used a copious amount of water or hair gel to tame the bed head. Lelouch's hair was not prone to bedhead, but in the right conditions, it was spectacularly bad.

She giggled quietly, hiding it behind a hand as Lelouch eyed them before shaking his head and sitting down to put his shoes on. “I assume there's already a path picked out?”

“Yep,” Suzaku grinned. “Same one I took the last time I was here. Got a few rocky paths, varying degrees of inclines and resistance on the sand-”

Lelouch sighed, loudly and obnoxiously. “I haven't had my breakfast, I haven't had my coffee mind you, and I am working on three hours? Three hours of sleep.” He glanced up at Suzaku. “If it wasn't you insisting, I'd say to hell with it.”

“Well...call it peer pressure then,” Suzaku was immune to the seemingly disgruntled look he was receiving from Lelouch. “And also, you know Euphie and I will pester you until you cave.”

“You're both lucky that I'm tolerant.” Lelouch finished lacing up his shoes and stood up, yawning widely.

“Let's go!” Suzaku gestured for the two of them to follow and they headed out of the house, a light fast walk to stretch out leg muscles before they would advance to a jog once they got onto the beach and then fall into the rhythms and patterns of morning calisthenics.

It felt good to run again – and run with the two people whom he cared the most in the world.

* * *

Their morning run took a little longer than normal as the path Suzaku chose for them included a lot of flowers in bloom. Euphie stopped to admire several and take pictures, allowing them longer breaks and a general enjoyment of the natural scenery. By the time they returned, it was mid-morning and Lelouch cooked them a hearty brunch. Their afternoon was spent on the beach, Suzaku and Euphie playing in the water while Lelouch rested under the shade – though he did join them briefly when Euphie insisted they build a traditional sand castle.

Dinner was from a local fishmonger who had caught a few snappers on a haul and smoked by a small beach fire. Some edible vegetables were skewered on small thin sticks along with the fish and eaten by them.

As the skies slowly turned into the purple-blue hues of twilight, Euphie got up and unceremoniously declared she was headed to visit Duc and Dr. Lightcap before it got too dark for her to drive along the roads to the K-Watch station and received an invite to spend the night there.

It was a little bit too obvious of an excuse, but Suzaku could see Euphie ready to argue with her brother if he started to protest. Luckily, Lelouch seemed to be content from the day's activities. He couldn't quite tell based on the slight lack of feedback he received from their bond. Either way, they bid Euphie a good night and safe drive to the K-Watch station before they spent the next half hour cleaning up the debris, towels and detritus from the beach. They trudged back to the house.

It didn't take much for Suzaku to convince Lelouch to have sex, the trailing kisses left on his neck and the not so subtle pressure of their bodies pressing together in the hallway. The only hint of hesitance he got was Lelouch placing a gentle hand on his chest, an unspoken question of whether or not he was well enough. Suzaku merely lifted the hand and trailed gentle kisses along the inside of Lelouch's wrist, making him smile against it as he heard his lover's breath stutter at the motion.

Then it was one of them leading the other into Lelouch's bedroom, collapsing onto the large bed. Like Lelouch's first time, they took it slow, teasing each other with kisses and roaming hands. It had been a while since they last made love – before Yamarashi – and it was clear the with Suzaku mostly healed, both wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible. Suzaku let Lelouch lead, reciprocating the trailing kisses with ones of his own in places that he knew his lover was sensitive to.

In the aftermath, Suzaku was left breathless in a good way, thoroughly satisfied, and with a sense of adoration and completeness that made him gently caress Lelouch's face. Suzaku pressed kisses into the sweaty brow of Lelouch's head as his partner sleepily looked at him. Purple eyes, hazy with the afterglow of desire, stared at him wordlessly.

Suzaku gently kissed his lover's lips. “I love you,” he murmured quietly.

“...Love you too,” Lelouch replied, a small satisfied smile on his face, before the eyes slipped closed and his breath evened out. Suzaku curled his hands around his lover, hugging him tightly for a moment, before he reached over to draw a thin blanket around them.

There would be an ache tomorrow and sitting would be a tender, but Suzaku didn't care as he listened to Lelouch's even breaths. Even though they had two more days on Oahu before they were to return to Pendragon and the war, Suzaku wished they could stay on this paradise island home that Lelouch owned. Cocooned in the warmth and protectiveness of the home, he wanted nothing more than for them to be two simple men, Lelouch and Suzaku instead of whom they had become – Rangers Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi of Gipsy Danger.

He tightened his arms a little around Lelouch, wanting nothing more than to keep his partner safe as he fell into a satisfied sleep.

* * *

Suzaku was awakened again at the call of a tropical bird. He snapped opened his eyes at how  _loud_ the bird was before his hearing returned to normal. There was the sound of something heavy flapping before he realized whatever bird made that sound had flown off. The windows were still a dark blue outside, though trending towards lighter blues with each minute. It was near dawn. He glanced down and saw that Lelouch had moved off of him somewhere in the few hours of sleep they had gotten and was now using his right chest and shoulder as a pillow, one of his arms curled over his stomach.

He reached up with his hand and absently carded it through Lelouch's silky black hair, noting that it was still a little damp from sweat. He knew his lover liked it when he ran a hand through his hair, finding it soothing. Suzaku didn't mind when Lelouch reciprocated, though he tended to be very sensitive around his ears. It was normally done during their foreplay though, Lelouch trailing his kisses with caresses in his hair that always left Suzaku shivering in anticipation.

A muffled grunt issued from Lelouch's mouth before Suzaku glanced down to see his lover move a little, mouth mashing against Suzaku's side, before sleepy purple eyes looked up at him.

“Good morning,” he greeted quietly before he gingerly cleared his throat in reflex.

“...'Morning,” Lelouch replied sleepily, but made no move to do anything and instead smiled against the hand that was running through his hair. “...Was that a parrot?”

“I don't know,” Suzaku shrugged. Of course Lelouch would know what birds would be on Oahu, much less in his backyard.

“...Sounded like a stupid parrot,” Lelouch yawned against his chest, teeth accidentally scraping a bit of sensitive skin that sent Suzaku nearly jumping at the sensation. He managed to keep himself from twitching too much, but it brought another smile to Lelouch's lips and the next thing Suzaku knew, his lover was making sucking noises against his chest, leaving the scrape of teeth and lips on his skin before slowly moving over to make another mark.

“...L-Lelouch...” Suzaku blinked, shivering against the sudden desire that flared in him at how it felt. It was normally what he'd do to Lelouch, not the other way around. The inversion felt deliciously good.

The feeling of Lelouch's lips trailing small hickeys down his chest was suddenly stopped and he opened eyes he did not realized he had closed. His breath was let out in a woosh as he realized he had even held his own breath, fighting against the sudden desire to go at it again. He looked down to see Lelouch staring at his stomach. Suzaku realized that he had forgotten to somewhat clean himself up before falling asleep.

“Shower?” he suggested before the idea came to him and he smiled slyly at his partner. “Your shower is definitely big enough, right?”

Lelouch looked at him, one elegant eyebrow raised. “Of course it is.”

“Shower then,” Suzaku insisted as he pushed himself up from the bed. It had the added effect of lifting Lelouch up too and he gripped his partner's bare shoulder. “Shower, now.”

“W-What-?”

“I want to make you come in the shower,” Suzaku stared at the bewildered purple eyes, a little bit exasperated that he had to spell out what they were going to _do_ in the shower.

Lelouch stared for a second, seemingly uncomprehending what he said before he blinked rapidly. “Shower...sex?”

“Yes,” Suzaku leaned forward and kissed him briefly before letting their foreheads rest against each other. “It's going to be great.”

He pushed the covers off of them and all but dragged his partner into the bathroom, flipping on the lights and the water until it was just the right amount of warmth. Not too hot, but not lukewarm either. The one thing he was glad of was that Lelouch had invested in sliding doors for his shower and they were made of sturdy glass and rollers instead of a curtain that most certainly couldn't hang on to their weight if things got a little out of control. He stepped in, inviting his lover in with a curl of his finger as the steam started to fog the glass around them.

Stepping under the spray, Suzaku let the water wash away the remnants of their night's activities. He grinned as he saw Lelouch step in, curiously shy. Letting his lover get wet under the spray as well as used to the temperature, he pressed gentle kisses into the back of Lelouch's neck, eliciting a few half-formed sounds before he turned around to suddenly mash his lips against Suzaku's own.

He laughed lightly, grinding their hips together. It was easy for him to finish both of them off; fast for Lelouch, rapidly overstimulated by the combination of the heat and spray of the water. Suzaku took more time, clutching Lelouch close to him. The two of them slumped against the shower wall in the aftermath. The warmth of the water pounded their skin and dripped down their faces, drowning out most of their pants of exertion.

It took a few minutes for Suzaku to catch his breath before he reached up to set the spray just a little harder, letting it clean their bodies. It was another few minutes of lathering and scrubbing the two of them before they stepped out.

Lelouch looked like he was about to drop. Suzaku dried him quickly, bundling him back into the bed. He tucked his lover into him as he watched him fall back asleep, deeply contented and sated.

Suzaku watched him for a few more minutes, letting his mind wander more than sleep as his hand absently rested on the crown of Lelouch's head. The wrinkles and frowns on Lelouch's face had smoothed out into a peacefulness that was rarely seen nowadays. Coming to Hawai'i to rest in the privacy of Lelouch's home was the best idea either one of them had. Suzaku opened his eyes he had not realized he had closed in a light doze as the dawn made itself known through the sunbeams filtering into the room and glanced down at his sleeping lover.

Pressing a gentle kiss to Lelouch's cheek, he got up from the bed and padded over to the desk in the room. He found a scrap piece of paper and pen and wrote a quick note before setting it on the end table next to where Lelouch had automatically curled towards after he left the bed. Suzaku quickly changed into a pair of shorts and tee-shirt and headed downstairs to lace up his running shoes. He was out the door and headed down to run along the beach in a short time.

* * *

The jeep they rented from the airport was parked in front of the house as Suzaku returned from his run and he realized Euphie had returned from the K-Watch station. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty at all but kicking her out of the house even though she had explicitly told him otherwise. He supposed the guilt was mutual by Lelouch as he caught their voices floating from the kitchen as he entered and sat down on the bench to take his shoes off and dump the excess sand from it.

“...not talking about my sex life with you...”

“But it was good, right?”

“Euphie!”

Her laugh was infectious and Suzaku felt himself redden a little as he finished unlacing one of them and dumped the sand that he had picked up from his run outside. He tapped the shoe against the edge of the door, hoping he got most of it out. Running on the beach gave him some more resistance than he was used to, but it felt good to run like that again. The smell of salty seawater added to the freshness of the air and he had thoroughly enjoyed his run.

“Would it help if I said I told Suzaku that I was going to leave so that the two of you can finally have sex?”

“You talk to him about our sex life?!” Lelouch sounded scandalized.

“No,” Euphie shook his head. “But I don't need eyes to know that he's been recovering for a while now and you're too noble to take advantage of him when he's like that!”

“Oh my God, Euphie...I'm not...” Lelouch sounded like he was five seconds away from smashing his head against something in embarrassment and exasperation. “I'm not...I can't believe-”

Euphie's giggle echoed in the house as Suzaku finished with his other shoe. He stood up and decided he would at least rescue his partner from certain sibling embarrassment, if not for his own sake. Euphie was definitely sometimes too observant for their own benefit.

“ _Tadaima!_ ”

“ _ Okaeri! _ ” Lelouch called back with obvious relief. “We're in the kitchen with breakfast!”

Suzaku popped his head in to see Lelouch with a fading hint of red on his face and Euphie with a mouthful of an omelet. He smelled and spotted pancakes. “Smells good. I'll be down in a few, waves were churning up this morning.”

“Hurry up or else Euphie's going to eat everything like the glutton she is,” Lelouch's eyes flashed and Euphie frowned.

“Hey-”

Suzaku ignored them as he moved past the kitchen and dining room to head to the bedroom to take a quick shower and change. He was done in about ten minutes and headed back, plopping himself down in a chair and helping himself to the pancakes Lelouch had made. They were buttery, soft and warm, with just the right hint of cinnamon in them mixed with the slightly sweet taste of the buttermilk flour that was used.

“How's Dr. Lightcap and Duc?” Suzaku asked, sensing that the two siblings were close to going at it again. As much as he adored the two, their teasing sometimes turned into biting spats that he really wanted no part of. He tolerated the spats since he always attempted to mediate between the two. It was obvious during those times that the two were related considering the snips and remarks hurled at each other.

“Duc's apparently responded well to the treatments. He's waking at brief intervals, recognized me, but he's not...” Euphie frowned a little before tilting her head to the side. “He's not all that there, I don't think. I think he knows Kaori's gone, but he's been saying that he'll find her in the Drift and stuff.”

They were silent for a few minutes, processing Euphie's assessment. It was clear Duc would never pilot a Jaeger ever again. Suzaku knew the Board would demand Tacit Ronin be re-assigned to one of the graduates of the new class.

“Can we stop by before our trip to Diamond Head today?” Lelouch asked.

“Gimme a sec, lemme text the doc,” Euphie brought out her phone and typed away before waiting a few second. “Yeah, we're good for a short visit.” She looked up, “What's Diamond Head?”

“Le'ahi,” Lelouch replied, “volcano tuff cone. Good hiking trail and great views of the island and environs.”

Euphie's mouth made a small 'o' of excitement and even Suzaku was surprised. While they had hiked the trails near Lelouch's home in the week that he had spent on the island last year, it was more staying in the area than going around the island. It seemed Lelouch wanted them to enjoy Hawai'i for all of its natural beauty this time around.

“Dinner at one of the nearby restaurants in Honolulu then we take the charter flight over to the Big Island before busing up to the many observatories on Mauna Kea for stargazing. I was able to get us a special pass.”

Euphie whistled quietly. “You've really pulled out all of the stops.”

Suzaku watched as his partner shrugged, attempting to be modest. Inwardly, he knew it was a failure as he felt the swell of pride in Lelouch at Euphie's praise. He felt like he could kiss him right then and there, but the growl in his stomach at its hunger from the energies of the previous night and from his run was a little more pressing at the moment. Instead, he merely let the affection roll across their bond.

They continued talking about what Euphie learned about the treatment plan and Dr. Lightcap's optimism and hopes for Duc Jessop. When they were done with breakfast they packed away some water bottles and snacks for their hiking trip and the observatory trip – though Lelouch said that the restaurant he booked a reservation in Honolulu was pretty casual and discreet, a place locals ate at and didn't get bothered.

Lelouch advised that they all change into comfortable long pants and short-sleeve shirts, but to pack away their jackets and another long sleeve as the lows were in the twenties this time of the year near the summit of Mauna Kea. They would be relatively indoors with the telescopes, but because of the nature of the telescopes, there was technically no indoor heating where they were housed.

It was not the first time Suzaku had seen Lelouch carry a large hiking backpack – having seen him carry some of the load and trade off with Sayoko and himself when they were wheeling Nunnally around the area, but he did not truly appreciate how  _ prepared _ Lelouch was as he went about checking all of their gear.

Suzaku and Euphie didn't have specialized backpacks, but made do with the travel ones they brought with them. Subsequently, they looked a little more like circular shells than actual backpack considering the lined jackets and clothing they stuffed into them for later along with water bottles and some snacks.

Before they left, the buzzing sound of a load of laundry finishing was heard and Suzaku peered into the nearby room to see Lelouch transferring some of the clothing they had been wearing for the last few days from the wash into the dryer. He saw bedsheets also being transferred before Lelouch quickly hung up certain types of under garments that were quite feminine. It took him a moment to realize that Lelouch had also washed Euphie's clothing along with their own in the load. It honestly didn't bother him, but he also could not pinpoint why he was suddenly thrown by that.

He supposed it was because he never expected to  _ see _ certain parts of Euphie's clothes outside of an intimate setting – more than likely never to happen. Lelouch finished transferring all of the wet clothes to the dryer, hanging the ones that needed to be hung dry before starting the dryer up. He glanced over with a curious expression on his face and Suzaku smiled.

“What?”

“You,” Suzaku shrugged before walking in. He pecked him on the cheek. “Just never really saw you being so domestic, that's all...”

Lelouch sniffed. “I do it in our room. You never complain...”

“Yeah, but only see certain parts of it. Not really the whole cleaning thing or you cooking that much,” Suzaku was aware that Lelouch cleaned their room on occasion. It was to help his mental processes as it kept his hands occupied or to work out a puzzling thought he had, but seeing Lelouch here, in his home, doing almost everyday chores... It was peaceful and in a sense, what non-military life with Lelouch might be like if they survived and defeated the kaiju. “I like it,” he kissed him again, this time briefly on the lips. “You seemed relaxed and happy about it.”

“It's home,” Lelouch agreed before looked around the room. “And it's good to get some familiar routines down for a little bit.” There was something wistful for a moment in those violet eyes before they sharpened in the amethysts Suzaku loved in equal measure. “Come on, let's go to K-Watch.”

They headed out of the room and house, joining Euphie who was waiting in the driver's seat of the jeep. Soon, they were off to the K-Watch substation.

* * *

Suzaku covered his mouth with the back of his hand as he yawned. Far from feeling tired, he was wide awake after the day's activities. Instead, he continued to stare up at the starry, cloudless night sky.

They had returned a couple of hours ago from the Big Island after spending hours at the Britannian and a select few international observatories peering through telescopes and watching the stars. The students and scientists stationed there were excited to share their knowledge and grew even more excited when they learned whom they were. They were eager to fete Lelouch more than Suzaku or Euphie – apparently Lelouch with the reputation of being a home island hero of sorts.

Suzaku had learned more about astronomy than he had ever learned in his years of schooling. Even Euphie was readily impressed and Lelouch had a smug sense of feeling all night as they studied the stars.

When they returned, Euphie dropped to sleep in the guest bedroom, completely exhausted by their visit to see Duc, then hiking Diamond Head and followed by the knowledge gained from the observatories. Suzaku stayed up, wandering outside to the patio to look up at the stars once more. It was where Lelouch had found him and the two of them sat, cuddling on the steps.

“Hey...it's roughly the start of Term 2, Week 3 compatibility sparring in the Academy,” Suzaku murmured as he leaned against Lelouch's chest. He absently tugged the blanket wrapped around them tighter, cocooning himself in their shared warmth. 

“I can't believe you remember it like that,” Lelouch muttered, sounding extremely sleepy. Suzaku felt and heard the yawn above him as Lelouch shifted slightly in his hunched position.

“You want to go in? Get some sleep?”

“Are you?”

“I like it out here...it's comfortable,” he replied, “but don't worry about me-”

“Then no,” Lelouch muttered, his chin bobbling a bit on top of Suzaku's head at the words.

Suzaku chuckled quietly. “Our sleep schedule's going to get ruined.”

“So? We've had worse.”

“Point taken,” Suzaku replied. “You know what Week 3 means, right?”

“Eh?”

“Our spar,” Suzaku could feel the slight start of surprise that ran through Lelouch and through their bond.

A deep chuckle issued from his partner's mouth. “Is that so? You remember that?”

“You forgot?”

“No...” Lelouch denied it with a brief twist of his head. “Just remembering some brash idiot deciding to score first by swinging a simple stick.”

“Hah...” Suzaku shook his head. “You did the exact same thing to mirror your point.”

“Semantics,” Lelouch murmured. “In the end though, four-four...”

“Four-four,” Suzaku echoed. That was the day that had sealed it for him. The first two weeks of Term 2 had been trying to figure out his attraction towards Lelouch – having observed him throughout Term 1 while he, himself became friends with Euphie – and wondering why he would even consider being compatible with the cold, aloof Britannian teen. The conversation he had with Lelouch revealed more than he expected, including the shame of what he had done to him three years ago. He had forced himself to acknowledge his own prejudices about Britannians and attempt to become less judgmental about the Britannian, until Lelouch surprised him by asking him to spar.

Back then, he had expected to beat Lelouch easily. He had not expect to actually  _ tie _ with him. Four-four even. Very Drift compatible. Everything after that could have been a blur for all he knew, except it was not. Each day felt like he was learning something new about his partner, something that sent surges of emotion in him – excitement, disappointment, happiness, anger, everything. And each new thing he learned added to the facet of the man he shared his mind with, embracing him as he did the same in return. He had been so happy to find someone that understood him, that did not judge him for his faults, and Suzaku embraced him in equal measure.

“Hey,” Lelouch started quietly. “Do you think we might have met if there wasn't any kaiju?”

“Probably...” Suzaku pondered the reality of that situation. “Probably as enemies or political hostage, something of that nature.”

“Nunnally and I'd probably be sent to Japan as the political hostage if I stayed in the royal family,” Lelouch sighed, his breath ruffling the top hairs on Suzaku's head. “Low standings in Court and the gossip after Mother's assassination attempt. Little to no use to the Emperor's plans.”

“You'd probably have stayed with us then. Aside from stopping my father from marrying Nunnally, I'd like to think we'd eventually become friends,” Suzaku was a little more optimistic. “Especially with Nunnally. She's sweet and caring.”

“I'd probably yell at you first for even approaching Nunnally.”

“You would,” Suzaku chuckled lightly. “And I'd be stubborn enough to keep doing it just to annoy the living shit out of you.”

“And then we'd probably fight-”

“Which I'd probably beat you up because your stamina would be atrocious-”

“And we both would feel guilty about it because there's no way Nunnally would not get involved.”

“And become friends because of her,” Suzaku concluded. They didn't need to say anything else after that. What would happen after that initial start of friendship was pure speculation. One thing they were both sure of was that they would be friends no matter what. If they eventually became lovers in that particular scenario, it was too wild to consider. Lelouch would be an enemy Prince. He'd be the equivalent. Perhaps they could only be friends. Maybe allies at the very least if their nations did not go to war and if the Emperor valued Lelouch and Nunnally's lives as political hostages.

Suzaku banished the rest of the thought out of his mind. He lived in the here and now. And in that sense, there here and now was him in the warm embrace of his friend and partner.

Lelouch was quiet for a moment before one of his hands that was encircled around Suzaku reached out to grasp his own. “She told me to stop treating you like an invalid among some other things.”

“If it's any consolation, I talked to Tohdoh too,” Suzaku laced their fingers together and lowered his gaze from the stars to stare at their hands.

Lelouch was silent for a long minute before he sighed. “Thank you for knocking some sense into my head after Yamarashi. I...needed that.”

“Loss is...incomparable,” Suzaku murmured, “and it goes both ways. You feel it acutely, more than I do. So you needed to know. I'll fight to stay by your side, always.” He lifted their hands and kissed the back of Lelouch's hand. “I'm your Knight...in every aspect.”

The pulse of affirmation echoed along their bond. It felt sad, melancholic, but there was the little bit of candled hope in it. It was enough for now, as they slowly moved past what had happened with Yamarashi. They would be stronger for it and they would survive.

They had to for there was no other way to live.


	26. The Cultists Arc - Part VII

All teams arrived roughly around the same time after their leaves were over, so it was a rather large crowd of people returning to the Shatterdome. It seemed the ten days away did everyone some good – especially those of Gipsy Danger – as they were more prone to joking about Yamarashi than walking on eggshells after what had happened.

Hydra Corinthian returned to a nice little present in the hanger bay: the beginnings of their Jaeger being built by Shatterdome engineers and their own technicians that had returned from leave a little earlier than the brains of the team. Lelouch, Suzaku and the Gages all laughed as they watched LaRue and Lanphier's J-Tech Chief unceremoniously shoo them out of the bay grumbling about curses. They rescued the two pilots from the verbal lashing and they took them to the briefing room to plan their simulation schedules with Marshal Krieger.

Lanphier and LaRue were insistent that Hydra Corinthian was a 'he.' It was a curious choice for a pronoun, considering the virtual model of the Jaeger looked a bit more feminine. They also teased the two pilots mercilessly about their starry-eyed look when they saw the virtual model of their Jaeger for the first time.

Gipsy Danger brought back presents for everyone, both in the form of snacks from Japan, copious amounts of Kona coffee beans from Hawai'i for the caffeine-addicted members of the various teams. Marshal Krieger even got a bag and apparently appreciated the gesture with a brief nod and smile towards them. The little super deformed Jaeger models from the Onibaba museum were well-received. They were proudly displayed on the consoles of the various personnel in LOCENT. Hydra Corinthian's J-Tech Chief was already writing a protest letter demanding that they get a model of their own.

The twins took their models of Romeo Blue and stuck them into their Knightmare frames' cockpits as good luck charms. Euphie also presented Amanda her present of the 1/100 model of Romeo Blue before asking the J-Tech Chief to teach her how to build her model of Gipsy Danger.

The two were gone for the rest of the afternoon until someone found them in the corner of Pendragon's rec room building their models and painting the pieces with some intensity. It was about two days later that the LOCENT stations were home to the models of Romeo Blue – kneeling with its giant sniper rifle held in one hand, the other, up towards Gipsy Danger who was reaching down as if to help them up. One of her hands held a painted version of their plasma gun pointed at some unknown kaiju at a distance.

Someone posted a social media image of the models, tagged it with the Onibaba museum and the last Lelouch heard, the museum was inundated with orders. Marshal Krieger issued a memorandum reiterating that no one should have any social media accounts per PPDC protocols. However, Lelouch had his suspicions that it might have been the Marshal himself who posted the image discreetly considering how many times Euphie said he happened into LOCENT – even if he did not need to be there for drills and training of Hydra Corinthian – and would intently stare at the models before making a noise of agreement and walked away.

Arthur was a huge hit with the rest of Gipsy Danger and the envy of the other teams. The cat was immediately spoiled with treats, catnip – which Suzaku and Euphie banned after the first instance of Arthur drugged out of his mind made him nearly try to claw the first person to pick him (Bruce Gage) – and a lot of petting for the cat. Hydra Corinthian especially loved him for being a very apt mouser. It also disturbed Suzaku and Lelouch that Arthur kept leaving dead mice in front of their room's door. Luckily, the cleaning staff kept removing them.

Euphie merely thought Arthur was trying to get into Lelouch's good graces and thought Suzaku couldn't quite 'kill' to feed his partner. A look from the two of them made her hold up a book borrowed from somewhere about the habits of domestic and wild cats.

The Gages returned from their leave with two Knightmares: a basic Sutherland and a specialized Knightmare frame named Kay. They also returned with orders from the ASEEC to test the defensive system installed onto the Kay tentatively called the Blaze Luminous. Lelouch noted that Suzaku did not seem surprised and his friend revealed that Tohdoh had been hearing rumors of shielding that the ASEEC was developing for conn-pod protection so that no Jaeger would suffer the fate of Tacit Ronin's pilots.

Pendragon Shatterdome had its own miniature version of the Proving Grounds like the Academy, a place where Jaegers could test weapons among ruins of fake buildings and roads. It was the precursor to the actual Proving Grounds, before the formation of the Academy and in this case, served as an urban test ground for the Knightmares housed at Pendragon. Whereas the woods of Anchorage provided them the opportunity to field test weapons in an open environment, Pendragon was a rich ground to test close quarter combat, but also the power of said weapons.

However, Lelouch deferred on piloting the Kay.

“Uh...” It was the first time he had seen Trevin Gage caught off guard as he held out the beautifully crafted keyring which would be DNA encoded to the pilot.

Lelouch gestured with his chin towards Suzaku who immediately balked. “Wait, what?”

Trevin and Bruce blinked. The twins did not hide their surprise at the gesture.

“You brought two Knightmares with you. One is a replacement Sutherland to the one I slagged,” Lelouch explained in a simple tone. “Unless you were planning on recruiting one of Hydra Corinthian's members, whom I don't think any have had Knightmare experience, you were already planned on having Suzaku participate for this test since he's been studying up on Knightmare technology.”

“Y-Yes...” Trevin nodded slowly. “But, the Kay-”

“Suzaku's the better fighter of the two of us. It's a waste to let him pilot a Sutherland,” Lelouch shrugged. “Give him the Kay and I guaranteed Asplund will be overjoyed with the results.”

“Lelouch, you sure?”

Lelouch chuckled lightly at Suzaku's attempt to not sound hopeful, but also of the slight trepidation in his tone. He nodded as he glanced back and forth between Trevin and Suzaku. “I'm sure.”

“Well...we didn't get specific marching orders on this, but it was kind of assumed that you'd be piloting the Kay, Lelouch,” Trevin frowned a little before shrugging and pasting a smile on his face. “Eh, that's why they need to spell this shit out.”

He stuck his hand out to Suzaku, still holding the keyring. “Here you go, Suzaku.”

The keyring was dropped into Suzaku's hand who stared at it for a long moment, before his fingers closed decisively around the black-white pattern. The Kay had been painted mostly white, with black edgings. Hints of silver-burnished metal were on the faceplate and the chest of where the lone factsphere was located. Unlike the Bors and Lionel, which were built quite stockily to house the sniper rifles they carried, the Kay was built with cylinders and curves in mind, seemingly mimicking the heads of most Jaegers.

Diamond-shaped gauntlets were on each of the Knightmare's forearms, more than likely where the Blaze Luminous system was located. It was also equipped with two slash harkens near its chest, but they would probably be replaced by either paintball equivalents or left alone – with the urban environment, there would be more of a need for slash harkens to gain elevation than out in the wilderness of Alaska. There was a basic rifle armament and the hilt of an interesting looking sword that was grey looking. It had a split blade in the middle and was called a MVS – Maser Vibration Sword. No one knew what it did and it was linked somehow to the OS of the Kay.

Suzaku spent the next two days familiarizing himself with the Kay, reading up on the manual that Asplund's assistant, Dr. Croomy had written up. The rest of the crews that had Knightmare technical experience spent time unloading live ordinance from the Bors, Lionel, Kay and Tristan. Gino, once again taking up his temporary assignment as Euphie's Knight, was joining in the tests and it seemed the young Knight was rather excited to be a part of it.

All Knightmares retained their slash harkens for this particular test which confirmed to Lelouch that there was some verticality involved. The test was happening when most of the crews of the Hydra Corinthian were in simulations, a precaution strongly reinforced by Marshal Krieger. It was also extended to most of Gipsy Danger's technical crew, Euphie the only one allowed in LOCENT with most of Romeo Blue's crew when the testing started.

The first day of testing was quite basic, Suzaku mostly getting used to the Kay's controls as he roamed around Pendragon's Proving Grounds. Lelouch watched with an amused smile on his face as his partner took to piloting a Knightmare like a duck to water. Just visually, Suzaku was already pushing the Kay to its limits, his landspinners screeching this way and that as he weaved through obstacles or utilized the slash harkens to gain elevation.

“Man, I hate to say it, but you were right, Lelouch,” Trevin's voice came over a private line as the Bors extended a magnetic comm line towards his cockpit. “He's a natural. Kind of scary in a way to think if the Japanese actually had Knightmare technology and if someone like Suzaku was fighting against Britannia.”

“Asplund would probably like to see his sync rating,” Lelouch replied as he finished typing on his keyboard. “I say one below Bismarck.”

“Really?”

“From what I remember, no one could beat Bismarck's sync rating.”

“Well, the Galahad is  _ the _ top of the line Knightmare from the Zevon family. I heard Asplund's been trying to develop one for years to beat the Galahad's capabilities,” the Knight of Two sounded thoughtful.

“Well, a devicer that can match the physicality of the Galahad would help too,” Lelouch replied lightly, “no offense, but based on your Knightmares, you and Bruce would be top snipers, but-”

“Yeah, we don't do that physical stuff. Customized Knights really...” Trevin did not seemed bothered by the assessment. “So you really think Suzaku's got what it takes?”

“I know it,” Lelouch smiled slightly before he sent off what he typed. “Time to get to work.”

“Sure, Princeling,” Trevin replied before the faint sound of a whip snapping told Lelouch that he broke the private line. Seconds later the Bors activated its landspinners and moved away.

The factsphere on the Sutherland pinged away as the others got into position save for the Tristan who was already tailing the Kay. Gino was to gather active data once the first test started. It was a simple test for today, basically they were to fire their paintball ordinances at the Kay who would use the Blaze Luminous on the arms to protect itself as best as it could. The Tristan would then record range, dispersion, rate of fire and all sorts of external data. The Kay had its own internal data records to also do the same, but it was far more comprehensive.

Bors and Lionel were stationed further away, in prime sniping position. Suzaku would use the Kay's capabilities to evade or block for the most part. Technically Lelouch was the only Knightmare to not engage, an observer to everything. It was partially for practicality reasons that Suzaku would more than likely be able to pick out where Lelouch's fire would be coming from due to their bond, so it would skew the data.

So he settled himself in the cockpit, watching with some pride at his partner's deft hand in a Knightmare frame. Joy and adrenaline came in small bursts over his bond with Suzaku and he was glad that the original decision to give Suzaku access to Knightmare technology was producing such emotions. He was happy that he was able to share an aspect of his life with him. Knightmare combat nor piloting was ever Lelouch's forte – but he respected the machines because of his mother's history. Sharing that with Suzaku was personal and he was glad his partner seemed as enthused, if not more, as he maneuvered the Kay around.

“K1 in position,” Trevin's voice came over the shared comms.

“K2 in position,” Bruce's voice echoed a half-second later.

The three other Sutherlands, including Amanda's pinged their acknowledgment and Lelouch tapped his finger absently, keeping his emotions as neutral as possible. He did not want his bond with Suzaku alerting his partner of the start of the exercise, something that they both agreed upon earlier. It was good that Suzaku's own joy and exhilaration was pulsing over their bond as he seemingly made the Kay dance in the air with the slash harkens and on the ground with the landspinners.

He depressed the comm button. “Begin.”

The Tristan, designated Q1 was the first to launch and attack and did not hold back as he charged at the Kay. Lelouch felt a burst of surprise before the familiar feeling of determination flowed as Suzaku took the attack in stride. The gauntlets on the Kay activated in a brilliant flash of green, an almost see-through coloration, as it blocked the Tristan's thrusts with its lance. Sparks flew off of with each hit as Suzaku dodged out of the way of the Kay's attacks. For today's exercise, Suzaku could not draw any of the weapons – they needed to first test the strength of the Blaze Luminous.

Suddenly, the Kay fired its slash harkens and went sailing into the air, arms extended, and blocked two paintballs that were echoed by the report of two sniper rifles going off. The Kay landed several feet away from the Tristan where it was pelted by Amanda and the others who were lying in wait.

Lelouch watched as the barrage did not relent and felt his partner's astonishment before the burst of resignation just as a yellow splatter hit the back of the Kay's cockpit pod. “Cease fire,” he called out on the comms and activated his own Sutherland, jumping down from the vantage point and rolling towards where the Kay and Tristan stood. The cockpits were opened on both as the Bors, Lionel and the other Sutherlands came towards the center, the exercise done.

Lelouch skidded to a stop next to the Tristan and opened up his own cockpit, but didn't slide his seat back to get out of his Sutherland. Instead, he turned as Gino peered in, holding a couple of cables from the Tristan.

“Thanks,” he called out as he reached behind him and grabbed the cables, plugging them into the Sutherland. He keyed the general comm. “How's the power output?”

“Eh,” Suzaku's voice came back and from his screens he saw Suzaku typing away on the Kay's portable PDA. “Not so great. The energy fillers definitely are drained by at least seventy-five percent. This thing is a power hog.”

“Seventy-seven shots at least following the five times you made contact with Tristan's lance,” Lelouch's fingers flew over the keyboard of his Sutherland – modified to be a secondary control center for information and calculation input for whatever test the ASEEC wanted them to conduct. “Two high-powered shots took nearly forty-percent of the power which leaves us with about thirty-five percent from the rest. So small arms fire or continuous hits...”

He tapped his chin. “We're going to have to do separate trials of multiple enemy fire and hits...”

“At least we know the integrity can hold up to a few shots from a kaiju if it's solidly breached,” Bruce's voice came over. “But a forty-percent drop in power from only two shots-”

“Yeah, not good,” Lelouch agreed. “What shots did the two of you used?”

“Regular round for me, though Bruce you used-”

“Concussive,” the other Knight of Two said.

“That explains the sound I heard,” Suzaku came over, “thanks Bruce.”

“Gotta knock some sense into you,” Bruce laughed lightly as Lelouch rolled his eyes. The rest of the comm line filled with audible groans at the very bad joke.

“You're getting the cold side of the bed tonight, Gage,” Amanda's threat was audible and it was followed by more laughter.

“Moving  _ on _ ,” Lelouch interrupted before more comments could be thrown over the comms. “So regular and concussive rounds both produce the same amount of power drain. We should also test a VARIS-”

“Hey, we're going to definitely need authorization for that-”

“And I don't think we'll get it-”

“We will,” Lelouch cut the twins off.

“We will?”

“It's comparable to a blow straight to the pons system, exactly how Tacit Ronin was taken down. What we just proved right now were glancing blows from the two sniper shots, and the rattle and punches of basic kaiju are enough to drain the power from the Blaze Luminous. However, a direct shot still hasn't been tested which is what a VARIS round will do.”

“Lelouch, as much as you're right, I'm not keen on ending up as a patient of Dr. Peralta so soon,” Suzaku sounded doubtful.

“I'm also not keen on firing a VARIS and possibly slagging the Kay...it doesn't have the armor that we've got, Princeling,” Trevin chimed in.

“We don't have to do it now, just something to think about,” Lelouch shrugged as he finished gathering the data and pulled the cables out before handing them to Gino. “Put the spare energy filler in and let's go again.”

“Same patterns?”

Lelouch snorted. “No.” He sent off new packets as he closed the cockpit door and started to head back to his vantage point. He could see the Tristan taking a spare energy filler from its own stock and switching it with Suzaku's nearly depleted one as the rest of the Knightmares all retreated into their new hiding places.

The exercise commenced again, but this time with the Sutherlands firing on Suzaku in an ambush position, forcing the Kay to elevate itself into the air once more where multiple shots rang out from the sniper rifles of Bruce and Trevin. There was no visible hits nor the flashing of the Blaze Luminous except for once before Suzaku got to a higher point and dodged more return fire.

Finally, the Tristan revealed itself, dive-bombing from the air to the ground and engaged in combat with the Kay. The Knightmare frame built by the Steiner family was heavily experimental in that it was an actual Fortress frame with the added bonus of turning into an actual Knightmare. Gino Weinberg was essentially its test pilot, but by virtue of also commanding such an experimental frame, he had earned his position as the Knight of Three with his fearless piloting and skills as a combatant.

The Kay and Tristan both went at it, and Lelouch grinned as he saw that while Suzaku was mostly on the defensive, he was utilizing the Blaze Luminous occasionally as an offensive weapon, turning the thrusts of the lance and blows raining down on him in an effort to guide the Tristan into the occasional return fire that one of the Sutherlands deemed able to shoot off.

From the Bors and Lionel, there was nothing to indicate that they had fired, but Lelouch knew the twins were more than likely patiently waiting for an opening. However, it seemed the moment would not come as just as the Tristan lunged and the tip of his lance touched the Blaze Luminous, the barest flicker was seen-

And the Bors took its shot.

It was as if everything slowed down as the Kay deflected the lance point of the Tristan, charging ahead to knock the Knightmare off balance in its shoulder before turning and bringing up its other hand to absorb the sniper round.

The Blaze Luminous system died instantly on both arms, sparks and arcs of electricity running down both arms. “Ah...well...shit,” Suzaku's curse was mild at best over the comms and Lelouch couldn't help the small chuckle that emerged from his mouth.

He keyed the comms. “Exercise over...”

There was a loud electronic sigh that blasted over the comms and both the Bors and Lionel hurried over from their spots as the Sutherlands also came out of hiding. “Gipsy Danger breaks yet another Knightmare,” Bruce sounded quite resigned over the comms. “First slagging a Sutherland and now, the Blaze Luminous.”

Gino however, laughed. “That was such an awesome move, Suzaku! Oh man, if you hadn't lost the system then, I think you'd probably have cut my lance apart-”

“Oy, Three, fanboy later, those things don't look right,” Trevin's voice cut across and as Lelouch approached, he saw that the Knight of Two was right. The arcs of electricity were growing larger on the forearms of the Kay.

“I'm running the shut down sequence, hopefully it'll stabilize it,” Suzaku said, “disengaging internal comms.” There was a crackle before the lights on the Kay powered down and to everyone's relief, so did the damaged Blaze Luminous system. No one wanted to chance an explosion or mishap happening to such an experimental system.

Lelouch reached over and ejected the energy filler for extra security as the cockpit popped open and Suzaku slid his seat out. He reached out and let his partner step onto his Sutherland's hand, his other one carrying the energy filler. Lelouch moved his hand towards his chest so that Suzaku would be both protected against any sudden movements if needed. The crackle of comms indicated that Suzaku had reconnected with his own external lines.

“Hmm...so...”

“I guess we call the doc to see if he can come and fix this...I don't think this was supposed to be part of the testing?” Trevin absently poked one of the Kay's inactive arms with the barrel of his sniper rifle.

“Amanda, Christoph, let's haul this thing back in. Get some of the data off and get Asplund here if possible.”

“I'm not telling him we broke his toy,” Amanda chimed in.

“No, that's Suzaku's job,” Bruce sounded gleeful and Lelouch laughed.

There was a pounding noise outside of his Sutherland as they started back into the hanger bay. “Not funny guys,” Suzaku protested. “Gino gets to share the blame.”

“Hey!” the Knight of Three sounded wounded as it rolled next to his Sutherland.

“That is true,” Trevin sounded thoughtful as the Bors placed a hand on the Tristan's frame. “Sorry Three, you help break Asplund's toy, you share the blame.”

“But Two!” It was not hard to imagine a childish pout on the Knight of Three's face as they entered the hanger bay.

Laughter rang over the comms as they settled their Knightmares into their berths. Lelouch lowered his arm to let Suzaku hop off before he knelt his frame down and ran the shut down sequence. He popped the cockpit open and took the PDA full of data out with him as he saw the others also exit their Knightmares. He was about to turn to head the few steps towards where Amanda and Christoph's Sutherlands had knelt the Kay down in its berth to offload the data from the Knightmare when he felt a disquieting sensation flash through his bond with Suzaku.

He paused, following it and saw in the distance his partner standing in the middle of the hanger bay. Lelouch looked beyond him and the same disquieting sensation that his partner had felt filled him.

Beyond Suzaku was the familiar pink tresses of Euphie and next to her, a person dressed in the very distinctive light grey uniform, with a black and maroon half-cape. A dark red sash with white edgings complemented the light grey of the uniform, but it was the dark grey helm with the royal seal encrusted upon it that told everyone whom the person served.

The Emperor's Royal Guard.

Lelouch found his steps slowing as he walked towards Suzaku. When he reached his partner's side, he saw the Guard step forward, Euphie trailing behind. The boisterous voices of the others faltered as they too, noticed the presence of the Royal Guardsman.

“Ranger Lelouch Lamperouge,” the guard's voice was crisp, professional and she stopped in front of them with a stiffness that spoke of how well-trained she was. She thrust a scroll was sealed with the Emperor's Crest towards him. “By order of His Majesty, the 98 th Emperor of Britannia, you have been summoned before His Majesty's presence tomorrow at 10:30 in the morning sharp.”

Lelouch found his mouth dry as he realized that this was the result of Schneizel's petition. It was starting. Tomorrow would be the day... His thoughts raced, colliding with one another at all of the plans, the careful maneuvers he had wrought to come to this point. However, he let none of his inner turmoil show as he held his back stiff and straight and bowed slightly from the waist, a hand reaching out to accept the formal document.

“If it pleases the Emperor, I will be honored to accept his request for an audience,” he replied, the words that he thought he'd never say again in his lifetime spilling from his lips.

The guard nodded once, a perfunctory gesture meant to acknowledge the receipt of the summons. No one dared to deny an audience and he did not expect much from the gesture. The guard then turned slightly and bowed stiffly again. “Ranger Suzaku Kururugi, if it pleases you as the foreign representative of your country, the 98 th Emperor of Britannia, His Majesty Charles zi Britannia requests your presence in this audience at 10:30 in the morning sharp as well.”

Lelouch instantly knew what had happened and what Schneizel intended to do. By summoning Suzaku not as a fellow Ranger, but as a foreign dignitary, the formality of Lelouch's acceptance back into the fold of the Imperial Family would be the first step. The next step would be the formality of their partnership and with Suzaku's affirmation, it would smooth over any ruffled diplomatic feathers when Suzaku was made a formal knight. He could see the steps so clearly and meticulously planned out by Schneizel. So that was his elder brother's plan.

“I accept,” Suzaku's reply was perfunctory and contained none of the formal language that Lelouch had used as a citizen of the Britannian Empire. Neither did he bow, though his expression was one of respect at the message delivered. Lelouch could practically kiss his best friend right then and there at the role Suzaku was playing.

The guard nodded once again before turning on her heel and walking away, half-cape billowing in the air. Lelouch watched the guard go, his hand tightening minutely on the scroll. His thoughts had stopped colliding with one another as one coalesced into a single clarifying crystal in his mind:

All conditions were finally cleared.

* * *

Dinner was a subdued affair among the three teams as news of the summons flew like wildfire around the Shatterdome. Besides the official summons of the Rangers of Gipsy Danger, both the twins and Gino had been summoned per their capacity Rounds – though that had been done more through email via the Knight of One than as a formality. With the inclusion of the Knights of the Round, the atmosphere had changed from curiosity to a somberness as all involved realized that this was no ordinary audience. Then Euphie declared her intentions to be at the audience since she was part of the royal court and could be at any public audience if she wished. Lelouch did not need to know that Cornelia and Guilford were probably already making arrangements to fly from Anchorage down to Pendragon for tomorrow morning's audience.

The only team that seemed to be at a loss was Hydra Corinthian, who alternated between curious questions about such audiences to many throwing Lelouch sympathetic looks. It seemed  _ everyone _ had seen the grainy footage of his last audience with the Emperor.

Lelouch ignored most of the sympathetic and curious looks as he left the mess hall, a quick short-hand thrown to Suzaku that he wanted to be left alone for the time being. He could feel acceptance in the bond – and sent a wash of gratefulness over. There was no sympathy or pity in Suzaku's feelings – just the hum of trust between them. They both knew what was at stake and what needed to be done.

His feet took him not to Gipsy Danger's conn-pod, but rather back to where the Knightmares had been stowed away. He spotted someone already standing near the Sutherland he had piloted, hands clasped behind him. The light of the moon casting shadows across the expanse of the hanger bay silhouetted the form before the clouds parted enough to let the moon light hit the form.

Lelouch realized it was Marshal Krieger. He stopped for a second and was about to turn on his heel to leave before Krieger shifted.

“I was wondering when you'd come here, Ranger,” the old soldier's voice was soft, but firm.

“Sir, I'll-”

“Please stay, Ranger,” Krieger gestured towards where the Sutherland still knelt with its hand lowered.

Lelouch took the proffered makeshift chair for what it was as Krieger clasped his hands behind him again. The man was too much of a career soldier to rock on his heels, but Lelouch did not have to imagine it was perhaps a motion done once long ago. Surprisingly the Marshal did not turn to face him and instead, stared out at the cityscape before them. Pendragon Shatterdome was one of the few oddly built Shatterdomes. Located close to the coast, its bays did not lead out to the waterfront, and instead, led into part of the Excalibur River. Therefore, it also provided a beautiful view of the city around it.

“Marianne was about your age when she received the formal summons that elevated her status to Empress-Consort,” Krieger started softly and Lelouch started. His eyes immediately rooted upon the back of the Marshal. The man did not turn around and kept staring out at the city. “I remember that day very well. The Court was in shock. It had taken them some time to accept her as the Knight of One, but she had proved her skills after she killed the knight she displaced when he rebelled against the lawful decree.”

Krieger snorted softly. “It was no secret among the Rounds that we knew she would be elevated, if not sooner. Your mother was charismatic, skilled with a Knightmare and blade in and outside of the cockpit. She was loyal to the Emperor and admired by many of her peers including those of us who served as fellow Rounds. Unlike many of the Court, we did not care of her background – she was a Round. She had already proven herself to get that far. She was the Knight of One and she had the Emperor's favor.”

Something in Lelouch tugged painfully as he listened to Krieger. He had not known that his mother was admired by others – used to hearing the animosity and hatred of her commoner birth status thrown about by the Purists and even by fellow Knights. To hear Krieger state otherwise...especially those who served as Rounds that they didn't care about birth status was almost anathema. The Rounds were mostly made up of the most prestigious of noble families, qualities that once retired would elevate any of them into the highest echelons of respect, authority and power.

“Marianne was a fierce competitor,” Krieger's tone was wistful. “She bested me twice when I was foolish enough to challenge her over some perceived slight of sorts. Relentless, she nearly destroyed my Knightmare before she asked for me to yield. The Emperor would probably not have batted an eye if his Knight of Seven was lost that day. It was her duty to ensure we were all aligned with his wishes and goals and she had authority like no one else.”

“You could imagine our surprise when she readily accepted Bismarck's challenge for the position of the Knight of One. I think you were perhaps about three or four when that happened. Bismarck was a devout defender of her, even at risk to his own family's honor and oaths he swore. We would have called him oathbreaker except for the fact that we knew Marianne kept him in line with the Emperor's wishes and ideals – to uphold the oath he had taken as the Knight of Three.

“So for him to challenge to her, it took us by surprise and even more when she accepted it,” Krieger laughed quietly. “Marianne did not yield a single inch until the very last moment when their two Knightmares should have been scrap. He won by fair combat and she accepted it with the sharpness she was known for. It was a battle to behold.”

Lelouch frowned. “I...don't remember,” he said softly. He could barely remember some of the things in his childhood and this particular memory was not forthcoming.

“Probably because you had been so terrified, Ranger,” Krieger replied with a faint humor in his voice. “You kept your eyes buried in the Knight of Two's clothes during that whole fight. No amount of prodding could make you watch your mother's spectacular form either...”

Lelouch's eyes widened as he stared at Krieger's back. They darted to the hands flexing for a second before Krieger settled once more. He had not known about Sir Kavan Lorne's presence during the apparent fight and the fact that the Knight was a nursemaid to him during that incident. He would have thought a house servant or a trusted nanny would have held him. Certainly not the Knight of Two.

The Marshal flexed his fingers again before turning his head slightly. “Marianne did have her flaws,” he started conversationally. “Her temper some times got the better of her, making her impulsive. Through no fault of her own, she took slights to her heritage quite personally.”

“Can you blame her?” The words shot out of Lelouch's mouth before he realized he said them and cleared his throat. “Sorry sir.”

Krieger snorted again and one of his hands made a waving motion to dismiss what he had just said. “Like I said, impulsive.”

Lelouch frowned – knowing that Krieger also meant him having apparently inherited his mother's short temper and impulsiveness.

“I have mentored and guided many in the Rounds before I left the Emperor's personal service. Of all the Knights I have guided, Marianne is perhaps one of my best that I have trained. A little of Rounds history if you will, Ranger. The position of Knight of One is obvious, the Emperor's right hand and herald. The Knight of Seven is the position given to the Emperor left hand and shadow, nominally the one that served the Emperor the longest and one of his most loyal aside from One. If the Knight of One could be the commander, the Knight of Seven is the second-in-command. I held that title for a long time until I retired.”

“There is no Seven at the moment,” Lelouch murmured quietly.

Krieger shook his head. “There has not been one since I was released from the Emperor's service.” He turned his head slightly. “I believe if Marianne had survived, returned to full health, and merely asked, she would have been offered the position. Granted, she probably would re-challenge Bismarck for the position of One, but the position of Seven would have been hers no questions asked.”

The Marshal fell silent after that. Lelouch stared at the man's back for a few seconds before speaking up. “She never got that chance,” he muttered.

“She did not,” Krieger acknowledged.

Lelouch licked his lips. “Sir, why are you telling me this?”

“The Emperor rewards meritorious service, and he has a keen eye for such talent,” Krieger turned his head slightly again. “The Rounds are insulated against the gossip as there is only one person they need to prove themselves to and have already done so to earn their place. The Princes and Princesses can command us, but we took our oaths to the Emperor and are only beholden to him.”

Lelouch swallowed heavily. There was no way to take what Krieger had said in any other way. And yet, before he could voice his thought, the Marshal suddenly turned fully around and inclined his head once. His expression was quite neutral. “I wish you the best of luck in your audience tomorrow, Ranger.” With that, he left, his footsteps echoing loudly in the cavernous hanger bay.

Whereas Lelouch once thought there was only two options before him, by some miracle a third one had presented itself. Become a Knight of the Round like his mother before him, become the Knight of Seven.

And Suzaku would never need to be his Knight.

* * *

“Talk to me?” Suzaku's voice was rough with sleep, muffled against Lelouch's back. One of his arms that had been draped over Lelouch's shoulder twitched and tightened slightly before relaxing once more.

Lelouch curled into the blankets, staring at nothing in particular as he slept on his side, facing away from Suzaku and towards the door of their room. There was the smallest crack of light from the hallway that spilled into their studio suite, but the rest of the room was dimly lit by the digital clock that projected its faint green glow into the room. He did not need to know that it slowly ticked the minutes and seconds down to the audience happening in a few hours.

“Lelouch, I can feel your thoughts...” Suzaku's mouth moved against the fabric of his shirt. His friend had ended up spooning him during the brief hours Suzaku had slept.

The words 'sorry for waking you' was on the tip of Lelouch's tongue, but he didn't let them fall as he stayed silent. Since they had retired for the night, he had spent the whole time thinking about the options he had, turning each of them over in his mind. Whereas there had been certainty since he had that decisive conversation with Schneizel a couple of months ago, now he was filled with doubt.

He silently cursed the Marshal for putting a third option before him. It was a very tantalizing one too.

“Lelouch...” Suzaku yawned. “Talk to me?” The hand on his shoulder curled and faintly prodded muscle and bone.

“Knight of the Round,” Lelouch finally said.

“...What?”

“Knight of the Round,” he repeated. “I could ask to become a Round... It's a demotion considering I was a Prince, but considering I'm a commoner right now, it wouldn't be unprecedented. In fact, it probably go over better with a lot of the courtiers. They'd see me as finally being in my place considering they hated my mother's status. The nobles wouldn't be resentful about it as much and...you wouldn't have to become my Knight. You'd be...you. It would be an equal partnership across all political spheres and wouldn't create a fuss about it all.”

He took a deep breath and let it out. “The rumors would still be there, but Rounds have their own unique quirks and oddities that no one would bat an eye to whatever rumors there are about them. You wouldn't necessarily be under the scrutiny as you were before, and in the eyes of the nobles, it be accepted if it ever became public because of the uniqueness of the Rounds.”

Suzaku was quiet for a long moment to the point where Lelouch thought his partner fell back asleep before he spoke up. “Aside from the fact that I don't get what's so odd about the Rounds, what's the catch?” He sounded more awake, though his voice was still muffled against Lelouch's back.

“The Rounds have an odd history. They're Britannia's best fighters, strategists and commanders outside of the royal family. Remember what I said about sending a Round into a battlefield?”

“Overkill, yeah...”

“Yeah,” Lelouch huffed a quiet breath. “Rounds are inherently destructive. They enforce and help expand the Emperor's will. They are his voice. They are his sword and his brand of justice. They have impunity to do whatever they want wherever they want without hardly any ramifications. If a Round is sent, that Area, that place, is automatically deemed necessary for a Round's presence, no questions asked.”

“That's a lot of power,” Suzaku stated the obvious.

“Ripe for abuse,” Lelouch agreed quietly. “...And is part of their reputation.”

“The Gages and even Gino don't seem too bad...” Suzaku murmured.

The corner of Lelouch's lips quirked up sadly. “No,” he agreed. Sir Kavan Lorne was one of the noblest ones too – aside from the moniker of the Scythe of Britannia. “But its there. The current Ten, Luciano Bradley outright murdered two families worth of nobles that the Bradleys were associated with for a perceived insult. No one disputed that he punished them for insulting the Emperor even though it was probably a fabricated excuse.”

“Krieger more than likely killed a lot of the Emperor's own brothers and sisters to pave his way to the throne,” he continued after he felt the faintest sensation of protest form in Suzaku's mouth. “Sir Kavan Lorne was known as the Scythe of Britannia. Monikers do not get bestowed upon others without fear and terror incited.” He swallowed. “Even my mother...she was known as The Flash. I...” He trailed off as he felt Suzaku's hand tighten on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

“What's the catch?” his partner asked quietly.

“The Rounds are under the Emperor's direct command,” Lelouch murmured as he reached up with one of his hands to place it on top of Suzaku's. The hand was warm and he grasped at Suzaku's fingertips, the feel of the familiar callouses.

Suzaku was silent for a few minutes. “It seems the dilemma is more how the Emperor will react to whatever answer given than the answer itself.”

Lelouch curled his head towards his chest, nodding even though he was sure his partner could not see it. “I was humiliated...hurt...angry...” he muttered, “he held my life in his hands...he could, he still, could order my death.”

“But you don't face it alone this time, Lelouch,” Suzaku murmured against the fabric of his shirt. “Remember?”

“I know...” Lelouch tightened his hold on Suzaku's fingertips. “I'm...” He sighed, a ragged sound. “I'm equal parts terrified and still furious at him. I'm thinking of ways he's abandoned me and freed me. I-” He stopped as he did not want to give voice to the thought that had formed. He could not even consider saying it, not even in the cover of darkness and in the whispers of their bed. It was too dangerous of a thought, but it had formed nonetheless.  _ I want him to pay for what he did to me, I want him to suffer and I want him to know my pain... And I wish he had died instead of my mother... _

“Don't think Lelouch...” Suzaku voice was faint with sleep again. “You've a plan. You know the outcomes, or at least you've planned the outcomes. You know what's next if certain outcomes happen. The idea of being a Round can factor easily into it and you already know what you want...” Suzaku slipped his fingers out of Lelouch's grip and moved down to his waist, tugging it gently. “Come and sleep...”

Lelouch closed his eyes and sighed as he uncurled his body, relaxing a little. “I'm sorry...”

“S'okay,” the yawn against his back was a little louder before Suzaku heaved a giant sigh.

Lelouch turned, letting his back rest against the bed and felt his partner shift a little bit to accommodate his new sleeping position. The arm that had been tugging at his waist now rested across his stomach as Suzaku pressed his face up against his shoulder, a contented hum emerging from his lips. He flicked a look down to his partner's face to see a faint smile on Suzaku's lips before he settled back into sleep. Lelouch watched as Suzaku fell into an easy slumber and closed his eyes, following suit.

He had a plan. Nothing could change that now.

* * *

“Announcing Rangers Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi of Gipsy Danger.”

At eighteen-years-old, Lelouch Lamperouge was still very aware of every step, every eye on him as he walked towards the throne where the 98 th Emperor of Britannia sat. This time, there were no heads bowed in deference to his station. Stares were open, hungry, eyed with interest and with the gleam of power and of influence. What was missing from the last time he made his appearance at Court was the gossip, the whispers. What replaced it was utter silence.

It seemed the Court did not expect him to accept the summons from the Emperor considering the last time he had one.

But the silence was not condemning to him as he walked with Suzaku next to him. Their steps were in sync, backs straight as they stopped the respectful distance to the throne. Lelouch's feet came together and he made a perfunctory bow of greeting, one not a civilian would give, but rather one he had made when he had been a Prince. The gasps that flooded the Court were instantaneous, but Lelouch only had his eyes on the Emperor who stared down at them.

Suzaku's bow was a little lower, but rather in the style of a dignitary and ambassador – which technically he was representing the Japanese people in this sense. They both straightened. From his vantage point, he could see six Knights of the Round standing ahead of them per the custom.

Bruce and Trevin Gage looked the epitome of the Knights of Two, dressed in identical cloaks, longswords sheathed by their sides. This time, there was no telling each of them apart as both had gone clean shaven for the audience.

Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three, Luciano Bradley, the Knight of Ten along with Anya Alstreim, the Knight of Six stood across from the twins, mirroring the same exact stance.

Bismarck Waldstein, the Knight of One and the Emperor's champion, stood by the Emperor's right side on the throne. The claymore the Knight of One wielded was resting on its tip, unsheathed as there was no possible sheath that could be made to contain the enormous – and quite functional – weapon.

Lelouch had lied to Krieger about the day his mother dueled Bismarck. He remembered one distinctive thing about Bismarck and it was that before the alleged challenge thrown to his mother, Bismarck tore up a tree with the claymore as a show of strength. Lelouch remembered being in awe and in fear of such a weapon.

Parallel to where he and Suzaku were standing were members of the royal family that had decided to attend the audience. Schneizel was not standing in the front, but rather in the back, watching the proceedings with his ever present half-smile. Kanon by his side, seemingly healed from his injuries a little over a month ago.

Cornelia and Euphie stood in front with Guilford by their side. Euphie's eyes were solemn, her expression serious in light of the audience. To Lelouch's dismay, he saw Guinevere with her her Knights, already eyeing Suzaku. Carine wasn't present, which Lelouch thought was a bit of a saving grace. But fourteen-year-old Marrybell was and she blinked her wide purple eyes at them. Her two playmates – more than likely her future Knights if Court rumor were true – Oldrin and Orpheus, were trying their best not to fidget. Oldrin was constantly tugging at Marrybell to not lean forward as much and crowd Cornelia and Euphie from behind.

“Lelouch,” The Emperor intoned, “my wayward _son_...”

All of the bravado, all of the words that he had said to Euphie and to Suzaku that morning that he was fine, instantly fled, replaced by the white-hot _fury_ and anger that he felt as the Emperor called him his son. However, he managed to contain it, keeping his expression neutral.

“After four years, you show your face here again.” The Emperor's tone told everyone in no uncertain terms how he felt about this whole audience. Lelouch _knew_ he was going to be humiliated before he would be accepted back and he fought the urge to tremble in anger. There was no cloak around him to hide any movement, just the simple dress blues of the PPDC.

“This audience was granted to you by the grace of the Prime Minister,” Charles zi Britannia's voice dripped with utter contempt. “He has put forth an interesting request that you be reinstated as a member of the royal family with full privileges.

“Tell me, my _son_ , why I should even consider it?”

Lelouch held back his anger and played his hand. “You should not.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Schneizel react with an abortive movement, stopped by Kanon. Lelouch flicked his eyes up at the Emperor. “That request was made without the full knowledge of the lesson that you, Your Majesty, has deigned to teach me in the last four years.”

“Your...exile?” There was something silky and dangerous in the Emperor's expression and words.

“My freedom,” he stated plainly, defiant. He ignored the gasps once more.

“Freedom?” The Emperor's eyes flashed, but Lelouch was fearless as he seized the moment and his lips curled into a slight smile.

“Freedom, Your Majesty,” he said, “I have yet to learn my lesson you sought to teach. On how to live.” He gestured theatrically around him, relishing the opportunity he had as he unleashed the plan he had kept so close to his heart for the last few months.

“You said I was dead long ago in these hallowed halls. That every breath I had taken to that very day was by your grace. Perhaps my anger was sorely misplaced. Since then, I have sought to live, to experience life not dictated by your hand. It was and still is a harsh lesson. But I have a good teacher now.”

There was no need to gesture to Suzaku when it was plain who he meant. “I have been taught what the gilded walls of my sheltered life could not. I am still learning the lessons of life even in this very moment.”

Lelouch lowered his hand and hardened his gaze. “This lesson could not have been taught without your kind mercy, Your Majesty.”

If there ever was a threat in that sentence, everyone heard it.

The reaction was as swift. The Knights of the Round that were present stiffened. The Gages looked like they wanted to be anywhere but in this audience, while Gino looked like he was about to drop his jaw in shock. Luciano looked like Christmas had come early. Anya was the only one who raised an eyebrow, utterly nonplussed. However, it was Bismarck who had visibly reacted to the threat in the words, taking one step forward, lifting the claymore inches off of the ground–

Only to be stopped as the Emperor extended his arm out. Everyone stared at the movement, waiting with baited breath. They did not need to know that a clash of wills had started with the fabled question. The question was, how was the Emperor to meet the challenge.

Silence hung in the air like an oppressive blanket. Then, Charles zi Britannia did something  _no one_ , not even Lelouch, expected.

The Emperor laughed.

It sounded darkly humorous. The Court reeled in shocked, eyes rooted upon the most powerful man in Britannia as he stopped after a few seconds. He stared down at his son, the former Prince.

“Very interesting,” the Emperor said quietly into the dead silence that had fallen. “A lesson, you say? Perhaps death has been a good teacher then.”

Lelouch held his breath, equal parts terrified and defiant. This was it...the moment that would decide his fate.

The Emperor chuckled again, an almost unholy sound considering the Emperor had never laughed at all in Court. “By all means, do not let me stop you from  _learning_ it, Lelouch Lamperouge.”

All of the Rounds visibly relaxed, though Ten looked like someone had canceled the holidays early. Lelouch quietly let go of the breath he had held, making sure that his expression was one of neutral acknowledgment. He still had his pride as a former member of the Imperial Family.

“Schneizel!” The Emperor suddenly barked.

“Your Majesty,” Schneizel stepped out just in front of Lelouch, going down on one knee with his arm cross across his chest. He did not look like he had been startled.

“Do not bring me such trivial matters next time,” the Emperor's purple eyes flashed.

Schneizel inclined his head once. “As you wish, Your Majesty. I apologize for my impertinence.”

The Emperor snorted before waving a hand at them, unceremoniously dismissing them. Lelouch let the triumphant smirk appear on his lips as he made his bow as did Suzaku before the two of them left, the doors closing shut behind them. It felt good to have made his move and backed his older half-brother into an unwinnable checkmate. The first victory he had against his brother. The party tonight was going to be very interesting to say the least and Lelouch – for once – was looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ends the Cultists Arc and the start of the WMD Arc.
> 
> Also - I'm taking a quick 2 week break from posting. Next chapter should be up around 11/20/20 or a little after that before the Thanksgiving holidays.


	27. WMD Arc - Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm back as of 11/21/20. Just a quick heads up that the rest of this story will be a little slower in updates as I'm writing in this story and a different one (in the Mo Dao Zhu Shi/The Untamed universe).

Lelouch reached out and deftly did up Suzaku's collar once more to their dress blues. They returned to the Shatterdome, mentally exhausted from the audience. Lelouch collapsed onto the bed, dead asleep to the world for the next five hours until Suzaku had prodded him awake to get him changed back into their dress blues for the night's party. It was originally supposed to be a fete thrown in their honor. But with the changed circumstances, it seemed that it was now to honor all Rangers with invitations sent hastily out to the Hydra Corinthian pair.

Suzaku had answered that particular bewildering phone call from LaRue as Lelouch took a quick shower to wake himself up some more. He still felt sluggishly tired and knew it was because of all of the stress for the last few months of the impending audience had been bottled up. Now, he was able to truly relax; audience done, Schneizel checkmated into not attempting a stunt like that again.

“I hate these things,” Suzaku grumbled as he adjusted the collar with a wince.

Lelouch ignored his complaint, knowing that Suzaku would grumble about it all night. Instead, he settled for adjusting the kill pin on his uniform. It gleamed against the rest of the bars on the uniform along with the one spelled out their last names. They would be the only Rangers, aside from Gino if he wore his PPDC uniform, at the fete with a kill pin.

“It's only for a few hours,” he said as he made a final adjustment in front of the mirror. He glanced over to Suzaku who sighed and stopped fiddling with the collar. Lelouch reached out and made a small adjustment of the kill pin on Suzaku's uniform before nodding at his partner and palmed the door open.

He was brought up short as he saw Trevin Gage leaning against the wall next to their room, seemingly waiting for them.

“Er...” Lelouch wondered how long the Knight had been waiting.

“Hey Trevin,” Suzaku had no such compunctions and slipped past him. “Waiting long?”

“Just a short while. Bruce's waiting with Princess J-Tech, Three and Amanda,” the Knight of Two shrugged.

“Sorry we're running late,” Suzaku took his words in stride as Trevin pushed himself off of the wall and followed them. The Knight's maroon cloak denoting his Rounds status billowed behind him.

Trevin nodded. “Can I borrow your other half for a few seconds?” There was no doubt that he wanted to talk to Lelouch alone.

“Sure,” Suzaku nodded before he waved at them. “See you guys in a few.”

Lelouch watched as his partner went ahead to join Euphie and Bruce at the entrance to the Shatterdome. They both waited until Suzaku was well out of hearing range before Lelouch found his wrist suddenly engulfed in a very strong grip – not painful, but unyielding.

Trevin Gage glared at him, his brown eyes chipped and angry, but Lelouch did nothing to resist. “Bruce and I humbly request, Ranger, that you  _not_ pull a stunt like that again if you are ever summoned before the Emperor or in our presence discussing matters of state with others of the royal family present.”

Lelouch stared steadily at the Knight of Two. “I cannot make a promise like that.”

The grip tightened just a hair. “Lelouch, we  _don't_ want to be forced to act on our Knighthoods-”

“Then you should not have accepted the position of a Round,” he shot back with his own look. “You know my history with the Emperor. What did you expect?”

Trevin was silent for a moment before his lips curled into an unkind smile. “We might have been simple bumpkins before we became Knights, but we are well aware of what happens to soldiers, to those who have seen a lot of death and destruction. We are  _not_ immune to it. If you truly wish to die by our hands, then by all means, invoke insurrection, invoke rebellion against the Crown. But don't for one, fucking minute, think that we're going to follow your lead on that. You may not take your pride as a Prince of Britannia seriously, but we do. Making your friends and allies choose between you or their oaths is probably the worse thing you  _can_ do.

“You better have a good justification if you're going to make those who respect you become oathbreakers. Wantonly testing their loyalty like this is not going to get you your goals in the long run.”

He leaned in close. “Charm and charisma can get you only so far, Lelouch vi Britannia. You have to earn and  _keep_ the respect of your peers. Don't waste it.” With that, Trevin let his wrist go and stepped back. He frowned. “You're lucky its not Bruce here. He wanted to punch you for what you did.”

Lelouch didn't bother shaking out his wrist as much as he wanted to and instead, settled for adjusting the sleeve. “Duly noted,” he said neutrally as Trevin spun on his heel and walked ahead.

Lelouch followed behind, trying to ignore the twinge of guilt. As much as he wanted to deny that he had tested the loyalties of the Knights of Two, he also knew that it had been the simple truth borne out of his anger and lingering resentment towards the Emperor. He had not  _meant_ to make oathbreakers of a Knight of Two – again – judging by Trevin's words.

But he was also deeply touched by their loyalty.

He grimaced as he suddenly felt a sense of resigned agreement over the bond with Suzaku. Bruce must have said something to his partner – maybe along the lines of what Trevin had said.

He and Trevin met the others at the entrance and Lelouch could see Euphie with a hesitant smile on her face. She was the only one dressed not in the blues of their formal uniform, her status as a Princess higher than a Ranger. Lelouch knew that she could have worn her dress blues, but he supposed that after today's excitement, Euphie would be taking care of her own appearance around the pit of vipers that was the Court. Team Gipsy Danger had already created enough hubbub to give the Court some serious gossip for the next half-year, especially since they were now posted here for a while.

Gino was chatting amicably with Suzaku and Amanda. Bruce was the only one who didn't look like he was relaxed and instead, had a stony expression on his face at their appearance. But it lessened a fraction later as Lelouch saw the other man's eyes flick towards his twin and back.

The ride over to Pendragon Palace was quiet and a little awkward as Lelouch ignored Euphie's looks. He knew his half-sister wanted to talk to him, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to be scolded by her for his recklessness. In hindsight, he supposed it was pretty reckless of him to challenge the world's most powerful man like that; but the outcome was that he knew exactly where he stood in the grand scheme of things. The Emperor did not  _ care _ about him – and had never since he had been cast out. The man essentially told him he could die and he would not be mourned. A quick execution for such a challenge meant nothing to the man, finding it beneath him. To Lelouch, the Emperor had only granted the audience because of Schneizel's request – not for any sense of familial obligation or blood ties.

There was something liberating about it.

Lelouch vi Britannia was truly dead and Lelouch Lamperouge would never be The Exiled Prince. The simplicity of his purpose in life was to kill kaiju for as long as he breathed and it felt good.

The fete had already started when they arrived. LaRue, Lanphier and their J-Tech Chief arrived seconds before they had and all three looked rather relieved that they were there. Hydra Corinthian had opted for their dress blues and it was clear that they had hastily applied make up and tried to dress in a semblance of formality for the last-minute invitations sent to them.

“Hey, go on ahead Gino, I'll be in shortly,” Euphie suddenly said and Lelouch found himself pulled to the side as the small group approached the entrance. The nobles of the group would be announced, per etiquette.

He nodded towards Suzaku who decided to wait with Gino a little bit away from them as the rest proceeded without them.

“Euphie-”

“Please don't do that again, Lelouch,” Euphie said quietly. Her lip trembled as she looked at him, but her cornflower blue eyes were hard. “It was hard enough to see it the first time, but this one...don't...don't throw away your life and everything you've worked for since that day away so carelessly.”

Lelouch frowned. “I wasn't careless.”

“I...I know,” Euphie reached out with a gloved hand to grasp his own. “I know you weren't but...the Emperor...”

“Holds every citizen's life in his hands. I know where I stand now. Where I've always stood apparently... It's...honestly quite liberating to know that. I can focus all of my energies on killing the kaiju and I don't have to worry anymore about whether or not I'll be brought back into the fold or used as a pawn in any schemes cooked up by this pit of vipers.”

His lips twitched up in a sardonic smile. “Honestly, if I was involved in any schemes or future ones, it would be a moot point since I'm not considered worthy enough to be involved at that point. I don't have the power of a Britannia anymore.”

Euphie pinched her lips together. “You're still my brother.”

Lelouch nodded sadly. “I, at least, have that,” he acknowledged.

Audiences with the Emperor for any of them tended to be terrifying, even from a very young age. Most of the time, the children of the Emperor were not summoned and instead, always stood as part of the audience, watching as fellow courtiers were honored, sentenced to exile or even death. But each one was a lesson to learn that all subjects of Britannia were beholden to one man and one man alone.

Euphie's lips trembled some more before she suddenly hugged him tightly. He returned her embrace with a gentle one of his own and heard her sniff loudly before she released him. She absently wiped a tear from her eye as she tried to compose herself. She sniffed again before she nodded solemnly at him, a sign that she was ready to be escorted in.

He obliged her and held out his arm, letting her rest her hand on it. They stepped back towards the main path.

“You look lovely, by the way,” Lelouch said as he saw Gino and Suzaku move from where they had been waiting for them. Euphie wore a silver-grey dress accented with dark blues reminiscent of their uniforms. Her opera-length gloves were the same dark blue, but with a silver accent on the tips and seam of the gloves. He wondered how long she had been waiting to debut this particular dress. Her voluminous pink tresses was artfully done up in a beehive of simple net of white pearls with two curling strands framing her face.

He escorted her all the way up to the threshold of where the grand staircase would lead down into the ball proper. He took her hand and kissed the back of it as he sketched a short polite bow and stepped back, letting Gino take up his post as her Knight-Protector. Suzaku slid up next to him as they watched the herald announce her and Gino into the ball.

“Do you miss it already?” Suzaku asked as they started to walk around to where elevators would take the non-noble guests down to the ball.

“Yes and no,” Lelouch admitted as he kept his eyes on his half-sister as she met various nobles that had come forward to greet her. Cornelia and Guilford were already nearby, Cornelia opting for her dress blues as did Guilford. It would be the day that Lelouch saw Euphie's older sister in a dress.

Trevin and Bruce were nearby, their distinctive red cloaks making them stand out in a sea of gowns and formal attire. Some guests wore the uniforms of the Britannian military, but many opted for more formal wear. He spotted three blue uniforms near the buffet spread and figured it was Lanphier, LaRue and their J-Tech Chief Martinez. It seemed both had been safely escorted in and given a quick rundown of what to expect.

Lelouch was aware that there were eyes on them as they made their way to the elevators. Some whispered to their companions while others seemingly ignored him and Suzaku. He kept a half-smile on his face. It seemed his actions at the audience this morning had spread like wildfire among the Court and nobility in attendance. He had no doubts that a video probably already surfaced, but didn't feel like asking Milly about how social was reacting.

“I've pretty much put the last nail in my own metaphoric coffin of having influence or standing in the Court. So, in the sense, the nobles can't rally around me anymore – even if they wanted to. I don't have anymore lineage nor prestige. It's like I was never born into royalty. My last name was pretty much formalized by the Emperor himself when he called me out on it.”

He gestured vaguely towards a few of the nobles he spotted hiding behind their hands, whispering at them. They turned red and looked away, shamed at having been caught. “I'll probably miss having insider knowledge as nobles will definitely not tell me anything now. My siblings, or former siblings I guess, don't have to necessarily associate themselves with me though Euphie's probably the exception. I expected this kind of treatment and it's amusing in the sense that the nobles who've always resented my mother's birth now get their wish and I don't get to be beholden to anyone in the Court.”

“But with the advantages of the agreement made with Schneizel.”

Lelouch slid a glance towards his friend to see him staring up at him with a mild look. “You know me so well,” he replied lightly and the mild look became a crooked smile.

“I don't know how you've orchestrated it, but I am in awe, Lelouch,” Suzaku admitted as they got into the elevator and took it down to the ground floor. It opened up to the swell of music and conversation.

Lelouch scanned the crowd and spotted several of his half-siblings already talking with others or among themselves. He saw Guinevere, sitting with at least two of her Knights, a male and a female. All three were being fawned over by a cadre of admirers and nobles who were more than likely looking for her patronage or something. Clovis was nearby with his younger sister Laila, gesticulating with a hand in the air. Lelouch suspected the topic was more than likely about the arts. The bright red-hair of Carine was near them and Lelouch could see her eyeing the Knights of the Round who were in attendance, though it seemed Gino seemed to hold Carine's gaze the longest.

Of the Rounds besides Gino and the twins, he saw that Luciano Bradley was in attendance, though surrounded by several women who wore the colors in shades of orange like his cape. They were probably members of his Grausam Valkyrie Squadron. He seemed to be engaged in an intense conversation with a few other members of the Britannian military. Anya Alstreim was on the opposite side of the room, surprisingly near Jeremiah Gottwald and Villetta Nu whom Lelouch had not expected to be in attendance.

It seemed whatever invitation for tonight's ball, Schneizel had not hesitated to invite several people whom Lelouch was familiar with. Of his older half-brother, he did not spy the familiar white-blond hair nor the rose-gold tresses of Kanon. Lelouch wondered if Schneizel was going to make an appearance considering he had humiliated him during the audience.

It also seemed that Marrybell was not there either, but then again, it did not seem anyone under the age of sixteen was present either – Laila the sole exception. But then again, everyone knew that the younger la Britannia tended to follow her older brother Clovis  _ everywhere. _ Clovis also doted an unhealthy amount of attention onto Laila to the point that the Court openly gossiped about an incestuous relationship between the two.

Lelouch ignored that rumor, but he also wondered why the matriarch of the la Britannias did not put a stop to it. He supposed it was not his business to worry about it considering he disliked Clovis.

“I see Clovis,” Suzaku sounded a little put out and Lelouch laughed quietly as he plucked two stems of champagne from a passing waiter. He handed one to Suzaku who sipped it.

“Laila, the girl next to him, his full-blooded sister. Then Carine who looks like she wants to swallow Gino whole, Guinevere and her two Knights-”

“They look more like mafia bodyguards than Knights-”

“She...likes to dress her Knights up as eye candy,” Lelouch grimaced.

Suzaku nodded in agreement. “Avoiding her for the night,” he muttered behind his glass.

“Probably for the best,” he agreed. They both shuddered at the memory of Guinevere's salacious email to Suzaku a few months ago. Turning their gazes away from the First Princess and her Knights, Lelouch pointed out some of the other siblings he recognized and a few other nobles he knew from memory.

“Hey, is that...Milly?” Suzaku's brow wrinkled and Lelouch turned to see him point towards a couple descending the grand staircase.

“And Earl Lloyd Asplund...” Lelouch finished. They both blinked, staring at each other for a second before looking back at the very  _ odd _ but apparent couple that was arm-in-arm. Milly wore a light blue ball gown that complemented the white tuxedo Asplund wore with light-blue panels and a light blue corsage to match Milly's dress. The eccentric scientist was walking down the stairs like he didn't have a care in the world while Milly seemed quite shy in his arm.

They were met at the bottom of the stairs by Euphie and the small entourage of noble admirers she had managed to gather in the short time she was here, along with the Hydra Corinthian trio. Lelouch watched as Milly immediately turned beet red – certainly not used to all of the attention – before she managed to compose herself and start to make small talk with the people around her. He caught her looking around and lifted his chin slightly as her gaze swept towards him.

There was the barest hint of relaxation in her quick brief nod before she turned back to talk with the people who were curious about her relationship with Asplund.

“I guess we'll be seeing him around?” Suzaku asked and Lelouch shrugged.

“Well, we do need him to fix the Blaze Luminous...” he admitted. “And it makes sense from Milly's family standpoint. The Ashfords were originally associated with the vi Britannias, so it would be good for them to seek out a match for Milly to raise their standings, especially since now I've all but voided the patronage my former family name would have given to them.”

“The agreement took at least two years and careful negotiations through intermediaries.” The last voice either of them expected to be at the fete spoke up to their left and they turned to see Marshal Krieger stop next to them. A glass of deep red wine was in his hand, but oddly the Marshal was not dressed in the blues of the PPDC uniform. Instead, he wore a rather showy Britannian uniform with an opulent half cape. It looked reminiscent of a Rounds uniform and Lelouch realized it was of the Euro-Britannia forces.

“Sir,” the both nodded politely to the Marshal.

“Not my first choice,” Krieger's smile was more of a grimace as he gestured slightly towards his uniform, “but it can't be helped after it seemed a nest of mice ate through my dress blues. I've taken the liberty of borrowing your team's mouser to deal with the pest problem.”

He flicked an imaginary speck off of his half-cape before gesturing towards Milly and Asplund. “I was one of the intermediaries for the Earl when he couldn't be reminded of his obligations and duties. Our families go way back and have been recipients of the Asplund family's creations for several generations.”

“The time differences must have been interesting, sir.” Lelouch could only imagine trying to coordinate such a delicate arrangement while Krieger had been stationed on the Euro-Britannia front and the Ashfords in Tokyo, Japan.

Krieger snorted into his glass and sipped it. “It's Lloyd, he ends up calling me all odd hours as it were.” There was a casualness in the Marshal's tone before he smirked at them. “We're cousins.”

Lelouch blinked, caught completely off guard.  _ Now _ it made more sense why Krieger was one of Schneizel's favorites. His brother did have some favorite commanders, but they weren't quite as military minded or as entrenched in the nobility system as Krieger. To Lelouch, Krieger was a bit of an oddity considering Schneizel's preferences for favorites. Kennedy, Asplund, Kanon all made sense. Krieger just hadn't quite fit into the mold until now. Being cousins with the Asplunds made a lot more sense.

“I'm sure it'll be a good match between the two families,” Lelouch said and Krieger nodded once.

“I would have apologized, Ranger, but-”

“My family's name doesn't exist anymore, so this benefits the Ashfords,” Lelouch shrugged. “No harm, no foul. The only advice we may have is that they were dependents in excellent standing and we had no quarrel with them.” Perhaps it was time to move Nunnally elsewhere if the match between Asplund and Milly were to proceed. In the near future, they would more than likely learn about keeping Nunnally hidden and under an assumed name. He had no doubts that Lord Ashford would keep their secret considering their loyalty for so many years, but it was only a matter of time.

But he would talk to Milly first to ascertain a timeline.

“I'll pass that along, thank you,” Krieger lifted his glass a little at them. “Rangers.”

“Sir.” They nodded once as he moved towards the small group gathered around Milly and the doctor; more than likely to pass along his congratulations to them. The group had moved away from the stairs as a waltz had started up and the guests started to move towards the ballroom floor.

They watched for a few minutes, seemingly entranced at the whirl of colors and gracefulness of dancers. The crowd thinned enough that he saw Euphie sitting among her small group of admirers with Gino nearby. However, he spotted a small signal that Euphie made with one of her hands and squinted before she made it again.

She was clearly giving them the signal that she needed help.

“Er...”

“Ask her to dance and signal me.” Lelouch casually started towards Euphie. Though their shorthand was not exactly accurate enough to signal context, especially 'help' he wondered what could be bothering Euphie that she needed help from them. Gino didn't seem too alarmed except for a smile that looked rather strained on his face, so perhaps it was just more social than anything else.

“R-Right,” Suzaku took a more straight path towards Euphie and Lelouch smiled slightly.

It took a few minutes, but then Lelouch spotted his partner escorting Euphie from her crowd of admirers to the floor and began to dance with her. The slight hush was quite audible as many turned to watch the pair and Lelouch slid up towards where Gino still stood. He immediately spotted the reason for Euphie's signal of 'help.'

It seemed the Knight of Ten had been a part of the admirers and Luciano Bradley was glaring daggers at Suzaku. He honestly wondered what Suzaku might have said or did to essentially poach Euphie's first dance from the Knight of Ten – but whatever it was, Lelouch was greatly amused by it and sent it along the bond he had. He spotted Suzaku moving his head slightly and saw the quick look followed by the short hand for 'owe' that was made towards him. Euphie giggled as the two whirled around.

“For the supposed Vampire of Britannia, you lack a surprising bite,” Lelouch said dryly, bringing the Knight of Ten's gaze towards him and seemingly startling Gino. Lelouch eyed the Knight of Three, wondering why he had reacted in such a way. There was something disconcerting about the fact that Gino looked a little distracted and lost, as if he suddenly wanted to bolt out of the place, but something was holding him back.

“Lamperouge,” Luciano growled, “Didn't know your Drift partner was so whipped to jump at your every order, oh wait...you ain't a Prince anymore.”

“No, I am not,” Lelouch did not rise up to the bait and saw the orange-haired man's eyes flash a little. “I'm also pretty sure that Euphie is well-protected by the Knight of Three.”

There was a definite flush on some of the faces of the members of Valkyrie Squadron. Some looked away while others met his imperious gaze with bold-face looks. More than one flickered to Gino which was quite odd in Lelouch's opinion. Luicano, however, laughed, a dark sound. “Protected by Three, huh? Wonder what he was up to when Calares bit it,” the man asked leering at the two of them.

Lelouch frowned. “Interesting you say that-”

“Oh, come off it, Lamperouge,” Luciano chuckled again. “I know what's been going on. Three here can't even save a damn fly, much less anyone else. It's a miracle he's even a Round just because his mommy and daddy got him that position-”

“Hey.”

If Lelouch didn't know better, the growl that came from his left was definitely a voice he never heard Gino Weinberg use. However, it  _ was _ from the Knight of Three as he saw something change in the blond-haired Jaeger pilot's expression. Gone was the seemingly stunned and fearful expression and replacing it was an almost furious, if not turning quite feral look. The bright blue eyes were turning into hard crystals, the normally upturned lips into a definitive frown of barely compressed fury.

“...Sir-”

“Marika!” Gino suddenly said in a quiet, almost monotonous voice, but it instantly shut up the member of Valkyrie Squadron that had dared to speak up. However, Gino did not even look at the woman and instead, focused his gaze completely on Luciano. Lelouch had a sudden feeling that there was  _ history _ between Luciano and Gino and he had somehow stepped into the middle of it.

The Vampire of Britannia's lips curled into a slow, malevolent smile before he laughed once, a harsh sound. “So you do have some bite left...” he purred. He laughed again before suddenly stepping back and lifting a hand up. “Let's go.”

The uniformed women that had accompanied the Knight surrounded and followed him as he walked abruptly away. Lelouch noticed that one or two sent worried looks back, but all disappeared into the crowd just as Cornelia and Guilford walked over. He saw both of them looking towards were Luciano had gone towards, Cornelia's lips thin with disgust while Guilford had a serious expression on his face.

The Knight turned and nodded towards them. “Three,” he greeted neutrally.

Gino twitched and blinked as if coming out of a trance, which Lelouch found odd. The Knight was definitely not acting like himself with Luciano around. He wondered if Euphie knew of whatever history the two had between them considering Gino was her temporary knight. “Guilford,” Gino greeted. A silent unspoken message passed between the two before the corner of Guilford's lips quirked up in a small smile.

The Knight turned to Lelouch and inclined his head slightly. “Ranger,” he greeted.

“Knight Guilford,” Lelouch managed to remember to tack on the honorific considering he was truly a civilian now, but also that Guilford did not address him so familiarly as he had the last couple of times. He saw Guilford flick a look towards Cornelia, the silent unspoken language of pilot pairs passing between them before Cornelia gestured with her chin towards Lelouch.

“Got a moment, Ranger?” his older half-sister asked.

“All the time in the world,” he replied, knowing that her request was anything but. He saw Guilford move to probably talk with Gino and stepped away from them. A quick pulse of an unformed question through his bond made him look towards the floor and the whirl of a pair of dark blue and silvery-blue forms pass near him. He short-handed signaled that all was fine before following Cornelia.

She led him away from the ballroom and several doors down to one of the many gardens in Pendragon. This particular one that was near the chosen ballroom was home to roses. They were in full bloom, their cloying scent heady as the variety of colorful petals absorbed the moonlight cast upon them. A small pagoda was in the garden and Lelouch could see there were two people in it already.

As he got closer, he saw that it was Schneizel and Kanon, the latter of the two holding a small case of sorts in his hands. Lelouch recognized it to be Schneizel's personal favorite chess set.

“I'm surprised you're here,” he drawled out as he and Cornelia approached.

“Well, not in the public sense, but these gardens are open members of the royal family and so I am here in an unofficial capacity,” Schneizel's reply was smooth as he acknowledged them with a brief nod of his head. “Cornelia, thank you.”

Far from leaving, Cornelia moved to the side, standing behind the chair that Lelouch slid into. Kanon approached, his smooth stride not even giving a hint that he had been injured by assassins weeks ago. He opened up the case carrying the chess set and let the two of them set the board before taking the case away.

“I'm surprised you're leaving Ranger Kururugi inside.” Schneizel's comment was light, but Lelouch did not miss the hint of droll sarcasm in his older half-brother's tone as he finished placing his white pieces where they belonged.

“Suzaku's a big boy, he can handle himself,” Lelouch replied mildly. It was true in the sense that he had given Suzaku as much of a rundown on potential guests and knowledge of his family members both verbally and through memories. It would be up to his partner to navigate through the intricacies of the party and of that, he had no doubts that Euphie would give him advice as they danced.

Schneizel made his first move and while Lelouch might have followed with freeing up his pawn to move his king, he instead, moved his knight instead. “I'm not sorry for ruining your plans, Schneizel,” he kept his tone mild, but smirked a little as he saw his brother twitch, having come to the point so fast instead their usual manner of slowly dancing around the point until it was inevitably brought up.

“Drifting has made you different, my dear brother,” Schneizel flicked a look at him before making another move. Lelouch countered with one of his own. “You're never this blunt,” his brother casually took his pawn and Lelouch freed up his King and Queen pieces to finally move on the board. “Nor reckless.”

“I'll disagree on that point. You see recklessness, I see differently,” he replied as the two of them made several more moves.

“Oh?”

“Opportunity,” Lelouch replied before he placed his piece on the decisive square. “Check.”

“But not mate,” his brother countered by instantly eliminating the offending piece.

Lelouch nodded as he and Schneizel moved their pieces some more. “Check,” he called out again after at least four other moves.

Schneizel shook his head and eliminated the piece. “Lelouch, you're still playing too recklessly.”

“Am I?” he countered. He moved another piece. “Check.”

“Why?”

“There are always three possibilities to each problem when presented. Face it, eliminate it or move around it. You've eliminated twice, not even thinking of moving or facing it.”

“Well, facing it in chess means the death of the King,” Schneizel arched an elegant eyebrow at him. “Which is the whole point of chess.”

“But I ask this. A king should always lead their men and step forward. Those who are not prepared to die should have no business fighting,” Lelouch took his king piece and moved it decisively onto its place on the board. “Check. And if I am to believe, a triplicate.”

Schneizel tented his fingers together and stared at the board for a moment. “Does this mean your implied threat to the Emperor was real?” Light purple eyes looked up at him and Lelouch's gaze was steady.

“What do you think?” he asked. He held those eyes with his own for a long moment before Schneizel was the first to look away, the barest twitch of his lips hidden behind a gloved hand as he rubbed his chin.

“It seems I have under estimated your resolve, my little brother,” Schneizel said quietly, “I will not do so again.”

“Good,” Lelouch shot back, equally quiet. He looked to leave as Schneizel leaned back against his seat, not contesting that the match was a draw, though he did not say anything of the sort. Lelouch knew his older half-brother well enough that Schneizel would never say he lost nor he won in a draw. It would be one of those unspoken things that always fell by the wayside in many of their chess matches. More often than not, Schneizel won against him, but in this rare case, perhaps a draw was far more indicative of their mindsets than anything else.

His older half-brother stared at him for a long moment before sitting up. “The protective detail you and Ranger Kururugi had will be rescinded immediately. All current privileges given as a Senior Ranger will be kept, but we thank you and Ranger Kururugi for your efforts on the Lima Operation. We also thank you on behalf of the ASEEC for your contributions to advancing Knightmare technology.”

Lelouch managed to not flinch at the last mention. While he had been somewhat bored piloting a Sutherland, he had to admit that sharing knowledge about Knightmares had been mostly for Suzaku's benefit. He had felt the pure joy and adrenaline that rushed through his partner in the scant few days he had with the Kay. Suzaku loved it and now, the privilege was being taken away.

“Then I assume Ranger Kururugi's travel restrictions-”

“Are still in effect,” Schneizel was merciless. A thin smile appeared on his face. “After all, the Ranger now knows about Britannia's Knightmare technology and is a foreigner, so we must treat it as such.”

Lelouch pressed his lips thinly together. What his half-brother was implying was that there was no way now for Suzaku to return to Japan any time soon, even if it was a joint leave with Euphie and himself taken just mere days ago. While he would have liked to have thought that Schneizel's words were out of spite, in reality, he had also cleared those conditions and had a feeling Suzaku knew about them too. It wasn't affecting their partnership nor their ability to pilot Gipsy Danger, so losing such privileges did not sting as much.

“Anything else?” he asked politely.

Here Schneizel lost the thin smile, but seemingly steeled himself for his next words. “There is a certain object that had been given to you-”

Lelouch snorted quietly before digging out the bug diffuser in his pocket and placed it on the middle of their chess board. “I can rightly assume the alpha-numeric code is of no use?”

“You assume correctly,” Schneizel replied before he lowered his chin a little. “Lelouch, it's not-”

“Protecting yourself from the Emperor's wrath is a cost that all must pay,” Lelouch interrupted lightly. Losing the bug diffuser was a blow, but he and Suzaku could make do. Euphie had one, the twins had one – though he wasn't too sure how charitable they would be considering he had nearly made them break their oaths. At the same time, he also knew that his brother made these moves to both protect himself from his serious blunder with the Emperor, but also to ensure that it would never happen again to him.

“Indeed it is,” Schneizel nodded once. He understood the consequences and Lelouch knew that there was more than likely another price his older half-brother had to pay that he wasn't mentioning. But he also knew Schneizel would be too proud to say what it was.

The audience was over, they both could sense it. Lelouch pushed back from his chair and stood up. Sketching a short polite bow towards a member of the royal family, he turned and headed back in. Cornelia stayed, more than likely to talk to Schneizel, but Lelouch didn't care anymore. The message was clear: his rejection of the royal family meant he would be completely locked out. He was to be treated as a pure civilian and his half-siblings, Euphie the exception, would give him no other special treatment like they had before.

He supposed he might as well enjoy the last ball he would probably attend in his lifetime. Perhaps Suzaku would be amenable to a dance.


	28. WMD Arc - Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to post the Intro/End to the WMD Arc in Part 1.
> 
> Intro: "Ah Ah" - by Anna Tsuchiya (insp. Blackstones from "Nana")  
> Ending: "Cry Out" - by ONE OK ROCK

The fallout from the Emperor's audience continued.

Team Romeo Blue and the Gages were transferred to Lima Shatterdome the day after the fete. The Shatterdome was already half-rebuilt since its initial destruction earlier in the year. They were to join Siegfried Kai and the reactivated Lucky Seven. It was also then that Schneizel made public the announcement of Lima Shatterdome's original destruction and the assassination of its Marshal through the hands of kaiju cultists. The world learned of the existence of the subversive group and it was a spectacular piece of propaganda aimed at labeling and instantly turning hatred upon the group that wanted nothing more than to sow chaos and destruction with the attacks from their alien invaders.

The public sentiment was instantaneous around the  _ world _ – pure hatred for the cultists.

And so the subsequent announcement of Romeo Blue, Lucky Seven and Siegfried Kai's posting to Lima was met with resounding cheers and approval – even from countries like China, Japan and European United. All knew what three Knights of the Round could do to bolster and reinforce the image of Britannia's might, but also Britannia's seriousness in the war. A masterstroke in PR relations and also Schneizel's best move to make in light of the audience with the Emperor.

It was the only move his older half-brother had left to ensure that his position as Prime Minister would not be replaced by a younger more ambitious sibling. Still, something in Lelouch twisted uncomfortably as he, the rest of Gipsy Danger and Hydra Corinthian watched the Gages pack up and leave.

The Gages were mostly themselves throughout all of it, joking and treating it like any other Shatterdome move, but more than once, Lelouch caught a hint of consternation in their expressions. It was more evident with Amanda as she took her time saying her farewell to Euphie, thanking her for the presents. It was also telling that Amanda left the 1/100 scale model of Romeo Blue next to Gipsy in LOCENT, forever reaching up to the Jaeger as a helping hand.

The Gages' farewell to the pilot pair of Hydra Corinthian were rather perfunctory, though Bruce ribbed the two pilots to make sure to make his and Suzaku's lives a living hell as they waited for their Jaeger to be completed. In their goodbyes to the two of them, it said something that Trevin's farewell to Suzaku was short as was Bruce to Lelouch's, but Bruce lingered to talk to Suzaku. Arthur sat placidly in Bruce's arms, having twinned around his legs meowing plaintively before the Knight picked the cat up to pet it one last time.

Lelouch was not exactly surprised when Trevin wandered over to talk to him.

“Keep out of trouble, yeah?” Trevin's voice was light, but his brown eyes serious.

“You know me,” Lelouch shook his head. “Can't promise what can't be foreseen.”

“True, but at least try to keep out of some trouble for a couple of months, for us?” the Knight smiled slightly. He extended his hand out and Lelouch stared at it for a second, wondering why would he do such a thing before he reluctantly shook it.

He did not miss the feel of a small capsule in between the webbing of Trevin's fingers.

Lelouch palmed it as he finished shaking the Knight of Two's hand, transferring it with a discreet flourish to his other hand as he stuck it into the pocket of his pants. “If it's just some trouble, maybe. We'll see.”

Trevin grinned, joining his brother as the two boarded their military transport to take them to Lima. Their Jaeger was already on its way via their Jumphawks. The twins were traveling with their Knightmares.

It was much later in the dead of night that Lelouch activated the small capsule against the palm of his hand to discover that it was a series of alpha-numeric numbers. The exact amount of digits that was the same one Schneizel had given him to use to call in a secure line. While Lelouch had no doubts that that particular number was discontinued as soon as Schneizel had withdrew all privileges and favors, the fact that Trevin had given Lelouch something similar meant that twins still trusted him and were still willing to work with him. It wasn't an exact forgiveness, but it was a start for Lelouch after burning so many bridges.

It was quiet in Pendragon Shatterdome as the two teams settled back into routine. Gipsy Danger let Hydra Corinthian become more independent in their training, guided more by Marshal Krieger than themselves. There was plenty of work still to be done around the Shatterdome, review of material and the continued repair of their Jaeger. The media were in a frenzy at the new news story of the media cycle, the exposure of the cultists and about Lima Shatterdome.

In a way, both Schneizel and Lelouch had been correct. Speculation of Lelouch's relationship with Suzaku was barely mentioned as the more patriotic fervor and mores of the war against the kaiju made themselves known again. A frenzy for unpatriotic callings and speculations of Ranger pairs was harshly condemned by the public and focus was on how these cultists came to be and their mind sets. Support for any type of pilot pair was at the forefront and only reinforced when Duc Jessop, of all people, started a media tour in Australia.

Duc looked frail, in Lelouch's opinion, almost like he had one foot in the grave, but nonetheless, he spoke of his late wife, Tacit Ronin and even speculated on cultists. A discreet inquiry towards the other Senior Rangers went nowhere, cementing the fact that Lelouch and Suzaku were pretty much cut off from any gossip. Only Cherno Alpha had replied, stating that it was partially Duc's wish to do the media tour to continue to humanize the kaiju war, but also because the PPDC Board asked him to. Lelouch had no doubt that Schneizel's hand was in it to force the decision.

It was cruel and disturbing the way they were using Duc now as he retired from the position of a Ranger to take up posting in Sydney as a PPDC consultant and mentor to the newer Jaegers stationed there. With Siegfried Kai's posting to Lima, there was no veteran Ranger pair or Ranger to guide the two newer teams of Vulcan Specter and Horizon Brave.

Lelouch and Suzaku thought to perhaps ask Tohdoh his insight into the decision made, but before they could do that, they learned that Tohdoh had asked for a brief short-term leave of absence. They learned the morning after that Nagisa had a miscarriage. He and Euphie had immediately canceled the day's worth of exercises and excused themselves to see to Suzaku's shock. It was a day spent doing nearly nothing, most of the time listening to a one way conversation as Suzaku talked to Tohdoh and Nagisa on the phone. At night, Lelouch held his partner close to him as he cried.

May also saw the launch of Crimson Typhoon, Matador Fury, Horizon Brave and Vulcan Specter. The only Jaeger that was not finished yet for the Class of 2016-B was Hydra Corinthian. It was also evident that Hydra Corinthian's build would take a lot longer than most Jaegers. The thing was to be packed with some specialized equipment from both Asplund and his K-Science counterpart Rakshata Chawla. It was also clear that Hydra Corinthian was to specialize in water combat judging by the armor and the simulations that the pilot pair were undergoing.

Lelouch wondered if Hydra Corinthian was going to be the first of a series of Jaegers to take the fight to the water-borne creatures. It seemed fitting, but his questions went unanswered by Marshal Krieger. The Marshal only hinted that while it once would have been Senior Ranger knowledge, Hydra Corinthian's status and plans for the Jaeger were apparently now strictly kept confidential and need-to-know because of potential of information leaking to the cultists. Lelouch didn't blame the Marshal for his caution – after all, Calares' conspirators were still at large and more than likely in Pendragon.

“Good morning Princeling!” There was the faint sound of something musical over the phone.

“I didn't know being posted at Lima was  _ that _ cheerful, Two,” Lelouch eyed his phone even though it was pressed against his ear. “Also? Music?”

“No,” Trevin returned with some good humor, “I just won two-hundred from Bruce. And yes, music. Got a good playlist for the morning patrol.”

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow and saw Suzaku with a slight amusing smile on his face as they walked their cooldown lap after their morning run. He was a little surprised that the twins had such an odd quirk to them, but he supposed perhaps it was just the twins and they were a little on the odd side.

“We both were wondering how long it would take you to call us,” Trevin replied. “Morning calisthenics?”

Lelouch knew the Knight had heard his slightly heavy breaths as he walked. “Safest way to call.”

“Good man,” Trevin sounded proud, “Though...”

“Don't you start,” Lelouch warned with a frown and got a burst of chuckles from both the phone and from Suzaku. He glared at his best friend who merely shrugged.

“Hey, not saying anything Princeling. Just enjoying my extra two-hundred- Yeah Bruce, two-hundred so pay up when we get back to base!”

“How's Lima?”

“Quieting, finally. After a month and half of suppressing the malcontents and re-establishing order, it's finally calming down. Problem is that we think the cultists all hid away so I honestly am hoping the next kaiju attack is around here somewhere. Just to get those bastards out into the open.”

“You're wishing for a kaiju attack?” Lelouch's brow wrinkled. That did not sound like the Knight of Two he knew.

“No,” Trevin replied, “but it's...Lima wasn't in a good state when we arrived. Everyone was terrified and some of the locals set themselves up as warlords of sorts to coerce the seaside populace that they could escape inland and be safe from the cultists. We just finished hunting down one of the last big ones yesterday. Bruce took him out with a perfect shot.”

“They don't tell us this,” Lelouch murmured. He had not heard a single bit of news about Lima except that there were weeks of lawlessness, but the latest frontline reports had said order was slowly being restored and there were already talks of upgrading the section of Area 6 back up to Developing status. Beatrice Franks, the former Knight of Three before Gino took over, had been appointed both Marshal of the Shatterdome and Viceroy of Lima and the former country of Peru. The rest of Area 6 which took up all of South Britannia were still in the hands of their local provincial governors, but Lima had been treated with surgical precision to isolate the problem of the cultists.

“Mundane things,” Trevin's voice was rather dismissive. “Things that might remind other countries of Britannia's might and history before kaijus.”

“Makes sense,” Lelouch nodded absently. Britannia, while flexing its might and power by destroying the cultists, also was technically suppressing a rebellion within an Area. Other countries would definitely not take too kindly to be reminded that Britannia had stopped their wars for the sake of fighting a common enemy.

“Oh yeah, expect Dr. Asplund to accost you and Suzaku some time soon. Krieger's been complaining up a storm to the Second Prince about his cousin's nagging regarding the Kay. Not sure about what, but we think it could be the fact that Suzaku's broken the Blaze Luminous.”

“That was over a month ago,” Lelouch glanced at Suzaku and made a short-hand for 'night' while making two of his fingers walk in the air. It wasn't the most elegant way to convey the word 'Knightmare' but it would do for now. He supposed they would have to come up with another short hand to add to their language for Knightmares. Suzaku mouthed the words for a second before comprehending what he was saying with a brief nod.

“Eh, dunno what about, but expect it soon. Krieger was nearing the end of his rope,” Trevin sounded slightly amused by it and Lelouch shook his head sighing.

“You two are terrible,” he muttered.

“We aim to please,” was the jaunty reply. “So, what's this about Princeling? Surely you didn't just ask about Lima, though we truly appreciate your concern for the region instead of about us.”

“Yes, because it's always about you,” Lelouch said dryly.

“No,” the knight replied cheekily. “It's about  _ you _ Princeling. And what we can do for you.”

Lelouch made a noise of disgust and light laughter rang across the phone. He sobered and asked, “Do you know anything about plans for Hydra Corinthian?”

“Ah. They started water simulations, right?”

“About two weeks ago-”

“Taking it like duck to water-” Suzaku suddenly leaned close and tried to speak into the phone.

Lelouch pulled away and eyed his best friend even as peals of laughter rang across the lines. He rolled his eyes and glared at Suzaku who shrugged innocently. “That was so bad...I can't even-”

“That was so good! Not so bad!” Trevin disagreed.

“Terrible,” he shot back.

There was a snort before the Knight of Two's voice came back. “In all seriousness, the only thing we know is that the plans were presented by Dr. Chawla for Board approval. The Second Prince knows about it, but for what they're going to do with Hydra, even we don't know. Kind of hush-hush, which may be indicative of a larger plan. I do know Vulcan Specter is also getting outfitted with similar equipment. The pilots, Australian and Chinese pair, uh, Mark Remington and Scott Xing Li, are former scuba divers. Remington was recreational, though he made a living doing touristy stuff around the Great Barrier Reef. Li was an instructor at the Chinese Military Academy.”

“And LaRue and Lanphier are former swim meet champions,” Lelouch had slowed down somewhat, lost in his thoughts. “Water operations, has to be. Maybe deep dive...” His mind latched onto an idea. “What if they're going after the Breach?”

There was silence on the other end for a long moment.

“That...makes the most sense,” Trevin's voice was hushed. Even the music in the background had dimmed. The knight must have turned it down to process what was being said. “It's...about time we acted on the offensive instead of defensive. We've had time to study them as they come, so maybe we're trying to hit them first.”

“Instead of letting them dictate when they hit us,” Lelouch felt the stirring of excitement in his stomach, the faint sensation of butterflies and of anticipation.

Trevin chuckled. “Better get started on those plans, Princeling.”

“Talk to you soon,” he hung up, pocketing his phone as he looked thoughtfully at nothing in particular.

“Plans for Hydra?” Suzaku asked quietly.

“And Vulcan,” Lelouch replied, “not much, but it leaves some room for thought.”

“We can take a look at the various simulations that are planned for Hydra Corinthian,” Suzaku suggested.

“Good idea, but I'd rather just ask the pilots about it,” Lelouch shook his head before waving in the direction of the giant Shatterdome looming before them. “Calares.”

“Ah, good point,” Suzaku nodded. “How are the twins?”

“They apparently play music while patrolling,” Lelouch shook his head faintly, but Suzaku merely shrugged and he looked at his friend. “You knew that?”

“They do it in and out of the conn-pod. I asked Amanda about it one day and the twins apparently have a playlist when fighting kaiju. Something about old sniper tradition with concentration or something like that. She said she knew a spotter-sniper pair that liked listening to classical music, but the twins like putting on metal.”

“That seems a bit extreme,” Lelouch raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Can't fault them for tastes though.” He preferred classical music only because he, like many of his siblings, had been raised on classical instruments. He and Euphie had taken to the piano while Clovis mastered the violin and viola. Nunnally had a couple of years of classical piano training before they had left.

The Shatterdome, incidentally, had a baby grand piano in its rec room which had been occasionally used by him or Euphie. Suzaku had accompanied him each time he played, sitting on the couch and reading. The hum of contentment and enjoyment between them had been great. With Euphie's playing, it had been greater as his sister had clearly continued her classical pianist education in the years he had been away. He had stopped after Trespasser if only because he hadn't been able to fit a piano into his home and disliked using an electronic keyboard as a substitute.

But he could see the appeal of metal music to the Gages. Some of it was harsh, but many of it was based on the classical music with added layers of lyrical qualities that perhaps made concentrating a lot easier.

“Music aside,” Lelouch waved an absent hand in the air. “They're doing good. Local warlords have been taken care of, but it sounds like some of the cultists have gone into hiding there so there's nothing exactly to draw them out anymore.”

“You think there's a chance they'll move back when 2017-A graduates?” Suzaku asked.

“Doubtful,” Lelouch shook his head as they headed in and back to their room to shower and change for breakfast. “It might be better this way though. The less association we have with Rounds, the better we may be for Court scrutiny.”

Suzaku made a noise of agreement as he keyed the code to their room. “I'm just glad everything worked out in the end.”

* * *

Trevin Gage flipped the phone close and placed it in the pocket on the shoulder of his flightsuit. He reached out and flipped the music off, letting silence reign in the cockpit of his Bors. A quick glance at the factsphere pinging away showed nothing on the radar. He checked his scope quickly and saw nothing either. He relaxed a fraction in his seat, allowing himself the brief luxury of a smile to appear on his face. The pulse of a query pressed upon him and he returned the feeling of contentment to his twin. He got a brief feeling and impression of Bruce giving a thumbs up in his mind and chuckled lightly. He sent back the image of money and felt the slight disgruntled sensation of his twin having to pay up the bet.

Amanda was going to give him hell for that, but it was the little things that kept him amused and distracted his darker thoughts. Like how was he and Bruce to come up with a plausible excuse for being suspected of oathsworn. The obvious answer was,  _ not _ to do what he just did – call the Princeling – but the two of them were never exactly one to follow the rules.

When they had received their formal transfer orders, Krieger had given them the only other advice he had ever heard their former commanding officer give them. “Never let anyone know you've oathsworn as a Round.”

That advice had been preceded by one two years ago when they had been knighted as Rounds. “Don't bullshit with the royals when you're a Round. You're the Emperor's voice, eyes, ears and will. Tell it like it is. They may get pissed, but you told the truth even if it hurts. You'll be able to tell who are the royals worth respecting, following and obeying and who are the ones who don't give two shits who will get devoured by the machinations of the Court.”

Both were sound advice for someone like the Gage brothers. Their family, though long in Britannian lineage and able to trace it back to both the families that followed the Royal Blood and First Nobles, were never part of the nobility. They were a military family, service in the armed forces in any capacity, service to Britannia was first and foremost in their minds. Titles and adulation were certainly respected, but service to Britannia's might was at their core. The Gages followed ideals, not necessarily people, but there were exceptions.

One of their aunts served in the Order of St. Michael on the Euro-Britannian front under the direct command of Lord Michael Manfredi, the former Knight of Ten. She had pledged a personal oath of loyalty to him and would forsake all others including her family if he had ordered it. It was the more extreme of their family, but Manfredi, thankfully, was fair and allowed her to stay in contact with them in her years of service. One of the grandfathers in the family had served directly under the Emperor's himself as part of the royal guards. Killed when Pendragon Palace was being stormed. A distant ancestor served as Lord General Henry Clinton's adjutant when Washington's Rebellion was being put down and gave his life to stop a last ditch attempt by rebel spies to assassinate Clinton. That ancestor died with honors bestowed upon him.

So the Gages were not unheard of serving or pledging oaths of fealty to lords. For him and his brother to do so to the Emperor as his Knights, it was a logical step. Yet, Trevin had a romantic notion that he was supposed to be proud to do so, to become the voice and will of the Emperor.

It didn't feel much different.

It felt like any other duty he was asked to execute. He supposed his views could have been a bit skewed because he and Bruce weren't at the forefront of the Emperor's service because of their responsibilities as Rangers. Still, he expected to feel  _ something _ or even a sense that he was about to change the world. All he felt, all he saw, was politicking and machinations that did nothing to garner his admiration of nobility nor of royalty.

Until Lelouch Lamperouge  _ and _ Euphemia li Britannia entered their lives.

The more accurate version would be first meeting the Third Princess at Menra Villa in between her Term 1 and 2 weeks at a ball. Euphemia li Britannia was far from the delicate Princess that the media had made her out to be. She was polite, but her spine was definitely made out of steel. She handled questions of her Term 1 training with the aplomb of a veteran Ranger who had done several PR tours. Invasive ones asked by her siblings were deflected; questions on working with 'filthy non-Britannians' was met with the faintest hint of a mild, uninterested smile. Her answers were always filled kindness, but of a firm resolve that seemed unbreakable.

Trevin didn't know if it was love, but there was a sense of wanting when he listened to the Princess. Wanting to agree with her, wanting to protect her, wanting all of her dreams and wishes to come true. Bruce seemed smitten too as they had returned to the Shatterdome to continue their duties as Rangers. Amanda had laughed at them, before saying that before they thought with their dicks, they better really think with their minds as it was one of the Princess' greatest strengths – her persuasive and compelling insight.

So they cooled their libido and thought on it while in a simulation. They deliberately chased the RABIT and examined their interaction that night from all different angles, picking up on the visual and vocal cues that they would probably never have picked up on if it was not for Trevin's training as an counterintelligence officer. The conclusion was mixed. The Princess was clearly one who would appreciate the bluntness of truths, but the question was – what was she to do with that information.

So even as Term 2 started, they requested to train those that successfully paired up and went into Term 3. The Second Prince approved of it, and even expressed his appreciation that they would be able to provide insight and help the majority-civilian class. That's when the name Lelouch Lamperouge crossed their radars – along with the speculations and rumors that he was the former Prince Lelouch vi Britannia. It was never officially confirmed by Lelouch himself until his sessions with the Psych Analysts in Term 3, but the first meeting with the pairs that were set to advance into Term 3 stirred something in the two of them.

It was perhaps like the same sense of wanting they felt for the Princess, but a little more intense. During their pre-Term 3 briefing, the violet eyes almost never strayed from them, drinking in knowledge in a quiet way. The former Prince's partner – a surprising pick that none of the Senior Rangers, except maybe Tohdoh, had expected to happen – was also absorbing the knowledge and experience they relayed to them.

The twins spent another session in the simulators and came out with the disquieting sensation that it was obvious the ex-royal appreciated the blunt truths, but more importantly, they knew he was going to do  _ something _ with that knowledge he had gained. And the two of them wanted to know what. This was a royal, well, ex-royal, worth following as Krieger had alluded too. They made no bones that they were the Emperor's Knights, but neither did they hide their knowledge behind the allusions and words and when the former royal asked, they answered with the plain and simple truth.

And  _ how _ it had been reciprocated.

Trevin had not expected himself, nor Bruce, to have essentially fallen hard for the royals, but it honestly felt good to have a liege lord that  _ they _ respected and perhaps loved, to serve. Trevin still wasn't quite sure about the latter feeling. He did have a crush on Princess Euphemia, that much was certain after so many Drift analysis he went through for the past year, but to actually love the liege lord he unofficially served? Perhaps it was more a sense of fulfillment, a sense of protecting someone he cared about after living with loss for so long.

Losing his fiancee, Igraine, was like losing a part of himself, even after everything the two of them went through. Maybe the sense of fulfillment and of protecting someone was spread between Lelouch and Euphie. He knew he felt it more intensely than Bruce did, but because of the Drift, they both shared the feelings between one another. Bruce still had Amanda and so his form of affection towards the two were more brotherly. Trevin was still grappling with his own feelings. It was a point of contention among the two of them at times – most recently after the audience with the Emperor.

Case in point, Bruce thought the audience was an unmitigated disaster all around. Trevin thought it was the most accurate representation of Lelouch's feelings towards being forced back into being a royal. That said, he did agree with Bruce it was a disaster that prompted a lot of their current situation and Krieger's second piece of advice.

What Trevin really wanted to do was call up Krieger and sit down with his former commander to have a frank talk. But he couldn't do that, not without revealing a few things and the first lesson he had learned when he had been trained as a counterintelligence officer was not to be stupid or rush headlong into things. It was what got one Krieger's former counterintelligence officers killed in the Euro-Britannia front.

He had so many questions for the former Knight of Seven. First and foremost: how did Krieger know how a Round was oathsworn? Second, how to  _ not _ let it compromise his own oaths, sense of identity, but most of all, keep it secret? Third, it sounded like it happened a lot to the Knights of the Round – which made him worry for the integrity of the Emperor's Rounds – the men and women who were supposed to be his voice and will.

“Bors, we've finished the perimeter. Nothing on scopes. Lionel doesn't see anything on his end either,” Amanda's voice crackled across the comms.

“Bors acknowledges,” he depressed the button. “Let's head back to the barn folks.”

“Roger.” The squadron of Knightmares, their own personal group of men and women that had been allowed to form under him and Bruce after they received their Knighthood, were armed with basic Sutherlands, but customized with high-powered rifles instead of the usual armaments. They had decided to call their squadron of ten other Knightmares that followed them Juliet Company in honor of Romeo Blue.

He double tapped the button on the stick of the Bors, the thumps of the landspinners hitting the ground a reassuring sound. He accelerated ahead, joining the rest of the squadron as they held a loose formation on their way back to the Shatterdome. He supposed there would be nothing interesting today – tomorrow, more likely – but today had just been to actually see if the last warlord they had killed yesterday would have foolish subordinates go out and avenge her.

It turned out her subordinates seemed smarter now that her head had exploded like raw melon in a microwave. All in all, the patrol was quite boring and the timing of the Princeling's call could not have come any better. Lelouch's thoughts on Hydra Corinthian and Vulcan Specter were quite interesting and he was looking forward to seeing what devious plans the younger Ranger come up with.

Lelouch's ideas were novel and Trevin was glad in a way Asplund, Chawla, nor Lightcap had poached him for their teams even though it was clear his strengths laid more in strategy than actual fighting. It was also probably why Suzaku Kururugi was probably the most perfect partner for him. One gifted in the physical arts, the other gifted in the mental arts. Gipsy Danger was already gaining a reputation among the Britannian military for being particularly vicious. Britannia celebrated glory, violence and domination. It was why being a Knightmare pilot – or rather Devicer as he heard his inner Dr. Apslund grouse – was a great honor. Glory was to be had in the greatest war machine man had ever made and no more glory than conquering others and showing the domination of such machine power.

Until Jaegers.

Lucky Seven was one of the few Britannian Jaegers to score a kill, but even with assists, it was known as a technical fighter, its cuts surgical though quite barbaric at times. Trevin chalked it up to the right hemisphere of the Jaeger for savagery it displayed in its fights. Vincent Gloucester, Siegfried Kai and even Romeo Blue never had kills in their years of operation. All of them assisted at some point, though Siegfried Kai was probably the most unlucky in that department. In terms of the glory of violence and of domination against the kaiju, Lucky Seven would score even with its fellow Britannian Jaeger, Gipsy Danger.

Yet the Britannian military were decidedly more interested  _ in _ Gipsy Danger than in Lucky Seven. It had to rankle the pilots themselves, but Gino seemed nonplussed about it. His partner though, that was another story. Luciano Bradley, the Knight of Ten, was decidedly livid over the perceived slight that a denounced and disinherited Prince of Britannia and a mongrel Japanese boy were given more attention and accolades than he and his Jaeger were entitled to.

“Prop bet, first words out of Ten's mouth is about how he wants a kaiju to come and attack so he can kill it.”

“That's not a prop bet Bruce,” Trevin glared at the small image of his brother popping up over the general comms. “That's just a sucker's bet.”

“Then stop thinking about Ten,” Bruce sounded annoyed.

“Sorry,” Trevin groused, not feeling at all apologetic. “Can't help it each time I see him I want to punch him to the moon, you know?”

“And you don't think I do too? Seriously, Trev, we don't need anymore problems right now. We're trying to put out the bigger fire and you're just making smaller ones.”

“Then what?”

“Focus, man, focus,” Bruce shook his head. “Do our jobs, get Lima settled and then we ask for a transfer back. Remember, even you said distance is a good thing right now. We need to disassociate for a while.”

“And how long is a while?”

“Well, more than the month we've been here,” his brother replied. “Trev, we  _ need _ this.”

Trevin sighed and nodded. They really did need this assignment and a break of sorts. It was all good and well collaborating and watching Gipsy Danger and Hydra Corinthian grow into their own, but for their own safety  _ and _ heeding Krieger's words, they had to distance themselves. It still stung that it seemed like they had just been ripped away without any provocation – though he did not have to read between the lines of the Second Prince's orders to know that it was probably that – mostly to punish Lelouch for his perceived defiance.

He shut the comm line off and proceeded to head into the hanger bay of the Shatterdome, rolling the Bors to a stop at its berth. Running through the shut down procedures, he popped the cockpit out and climbed out, dropping to the ground and stretching his limbs.

“Twos,” Marshal Beatrice Franks greeted them. She was petite, about their age and had narrow eyes behind her frameless glasses. Her clothes were loose fitting, almost like a priest's garb instead of the uniform of the PPDC. Her long auburn hair reached down to her waist, tied up into a simple ponytail. She looked more like a scientist than a PPDC Marshal.

Franks used to be the Knight of Three before Gino took that position. Like some others, she resigned her position to run the logistical department for the Rounds themselves before being assigned by the Prime Minister to Lima. Trevin and Bruce met her a couple of times, mostly to outfit Juliet Company, but even then, she had been quite aloof and was not one for small talk.

“Marshal,” they greeted her as the rest of their company started to form up. She waved at them in a clear dismissal before gesturing for him and Bruce to follow her.

“Not a peep from La Nina's subordinates today. They're definitely cautious, or burying her body too,” Bruce commented as they walked with her through the hanger bay and towards the elevators.

“They'll be active tomorrow. I'll make a note of it for the Margrave and Sir Nu,” Franks replied. She sounded sure they were to be active tomorrow and Trevin glanced at his brother who shrugged.

“Got an assignment for the two of you that needs to start tonight. One of the local Jaeger Flies left a message for information. Get friendly, we're going to spring a trap. We know the cultists infiltrated the Jaeger Flies previously, so we're working off of that. We also know they're still in operation around here, hiding behind the warlords, but they'll also try to use the same tactic again when we're occupied by the warlords.”

“Got it,” they replied. She eyed them for a second, seemingly surprised by their simultaneous answer before shaking her head and leaving them as she took the elevator up to her office.

Trevin glanced at his brother, a shrug passing through them before they headed towards the pilot ready room to strip out of their flightsuits and into more comfortable clothing. As they headed out of the Shatterdome, they grabbed a couple of members of Romeo Blue along with them to head to the local watering hole.

It was the only one that existed next to the Shatterdome as the rest of Lima struggled to rebuild. For a once-populated city of nearly nine-million, that number had been reduced when Reckoner first landed very early last year. It destroyed Miraflores, the bustling district within Lima. They had diverted and damaged Reckoner enough to send the kaiju running across the Pacific Ocean.

The subsequent attacks by the kaiju cultists had reduced a lot more of the population and bustling districts. Many fled the city after the Shatterdome had been leveled and Marshal Ansley assassinated. Those who stayed either prayed for the inevitable kaiju attack that would destroy and wipe it off of the map or had no where else to flee. But since their arrival, Trevin noticed the populace seemed to be creeping back up to at least a couple of million. They were also well recognized and friendly with the local watering hole near the Shatterdome.

It turned out those who stayed remembered Romeo Blue's presence in driving Reckoner away and treated with friendliness not given to the teams of Siegfried Kai nor of Lucky Seven. The local place was already crowded with construction workers and businesses that sprung back up near the completed Shatterdome.

Trevin and Bruce greeted the locals with bursts of their native tongue, an amalgamation of both Britannian Spanish, a bit of Asiatic flare like Chinese and Japanese and oddly European United's Catalan Spanish. Before the Britannian Empire conquered the whole of Area 2, Lima used to be the capital of the western side, and was friendly with the European United, hence the unusual mix of languages.

He accepted two glasses of ale from the bartender with a wink towards her as a thanks and handed one to Bruce before his brother wandered off to make small talk with the locals. Bruce didn't really have formal counterintelligence training like he had, but the years of Drifting had at least imparted some knowledge of its practices to his twin. There was also Amanda to consider, so the two of them agreed that any type of information gathering was left to Trevin while Bruce provided the distractions – or in this case, Bruce playing wingman to him.

Trevin took a sip of the ale, noting its sour bite. This particular batch was pretty good, he thought as he took a seat at the bar. He nodded towards the bartender, a young local woman who had stayed to care for her elderly mother after all the attacks.

“ _Not to your taste?_ ” the woman asked. The curl of her words took a distinct softness that was a mark of a native speaker of the local language. Lima-Spanish was marked by a distinct lack of strong-sounding intonations. Trevin had focused on languages in his training, finding regional accents quite fascinating.

“ _Contrary, it's pretty good_ ,” he shook his head. “ _Good batch here._ ”

She smiled. “ _Thank you_ ,” she said. She leaned towards him and gestured with her eyes towards a group of women and a couple of men who were seemingly in a serious discussion. “ _ Though if you could be so kind as to get rid of the Jaeger Flies for me? One more on the house. _ ”

“ _Not paying?_ ” Trevin asked.

“ _Paid once, been here for at least a couple of hours without paying again_ ,” she rolled her eyes. “ _I already asked them to leave._ ”

“ _You really should get a bouncer here, Isa_ ,” Trevin shook his head. “ _After everything-_ ”

“ _Kind of you, very sweet, but I can handle myself here._ ” Her hand disappeared under the bar and Trevin knew she was patting what was probably one of several guns she owned. It was against the local government's rules, but Trevin was not about to enforce Britannia's policy that local bar owners in Area 2 could not conceal weapons.

He sighed, sipped his ale again and shook his head. Marshal Franks did not identify which Jaeger Fly probably had information, but considering they were the only ones openly staring at him and Bruce when they had entered, it was more than likely among this group. Getting information from the source while simultaneously kicking them out of the local watering hole was a bit tricky.

He eyed Isabelle, the bartender. “ _Can I get one to go?_ ”

She laughed. “ _I would not make your visit so short when you and your brother attract more patrons whenever you are here._ ” She gestured towards the door where a couple more locals had wandered in. Bruce had pulled himself from whatever conversation he had been engaged in with the others to greet them with hearty slaps and hugs. “ _I would just like them to leave and you always seem to be the persuasive one with your silver tongue._ ”

Trevin fought the blush that threatened to erupt on his face. He had not slept with Isa, but they had kissed twice, the first time back in late December when they had arrived to quell the riots. That had been more of relief from her part than anything else. The second time was a couple of weeks ago when she had been closing up and she made a few comments and he had just a little too much to drink.

“ _All right_ ,” he agreed, rolling his eyes before he grabbed the glass and pushed himself off from the bar to head over to the group of Jaeger Flies. The effect was immediate as he saw the small group of men and women all look surprised for a second before sheer giddiness and awe replaced their surprised expressions.

Jaeger Flies were an interesting bunch. He did not actively dislike them, but neither did he like them. He knew there were a couple of pilot pairs that actively sought them out – especially that of Team Lucky Seven – while there were others who avoided them like the plague – Team Gipsy Danger (not that he didn't blame them) – but rather he was quite indifferent to them. Most of the First Class members were rather indifferent, finding them a necessary evil, but mostly ignoring them or engaging them with polite smiles and extricating themselves out of conversations as soon as possible.

“Hey,” he greeted them.

“Hey,” a couple of them greeted, mostly shy, but with clear interest in their eyes. Some giggled to each other, their whispers drowned out by the noise of the bar, but more than one's eyes darted to him.

“Bartender's asked if any of you were going to buy more drinks?” Trevin looked at them.

“If you're buying?” one of the boldly said and Trevin cracked a smile.

“For you, sure,” he put on his most winning smile towards the woman who had asked. She was quite plain-faced, with straight coarse brown hair and hazel eyes behind the thick glasses she wore. Her jaw dropped, revealing bucked teeth as she glanced towards her friends and back at him.

“Y-You serious?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “Come on, uh-”

“K-Katherine,” the woman stuttered before reluctantly breaking away from the clinging arms of one of her friends who was whispering in her ear. “Uh...”

“Trevin, Trevin Gage,” he introduced himself, sticking his hand out even though he was sure he needed no introduction.

“Uh, oh, uh...” she trailed off as she tentatively took his hand. Her grip was weak, her hands soft, but he shook firmly. She giggled, a childish sound that looked at odds with her young age. He released her hand and gestured for her to follow as he nodded once towards the others and threaded the short walk back.

“ _Isa, one for the lady_ ,” he called out as he approached and she raised an eyebrow at him, but did as he asked. He pulled out some coins and tossed it onto the bar where they promptly disappeared and a glass of the ale was placed in front of the still nervous-looking Katherine.

“Er, uh, thank you, uh, R-Ranger-”

“Trevin,” he cut her off. “I'm off shift and enjoying my time here.”

“T-Trevin,” she sipped the ale before making a face. At his curious look she immediately swallowed the sip, coughing once. “Sorry...n-not, it's...it's not my taste. I, uh, prefer the sweeter one. Last week's batch.”

“Ah, that one. Sorry, that was my last one,” Isa had wandered by as she mixed and poured drinks for customers waiting on her.

“You and your friends here often?” He turned to face her, taking a sip of his own ale and gesturing with his chin towards the gaggle of Jaeger Flies.

“Er, no, uh, local, club I guess,” she stuttered. “I, uh, arrived from, uh, Dallas a couple of weeks ago. Juan Carlos and Miguel are both locals here. There's a bunch of us, uh, whom, uh, wanted to see the sites and, uh, maybe also team Romeo Blue.” She blushed bright red. “We're big fans...uh, you see...of, uh, you and- Oh man, I'm so messing this up...”

Trevin chuckled lightly into his glass of ale, making the woman blush harder. “Listen, we're used to it. Comes with the territory. You're doing fine, Katherine. In fact, I thought I was going to have to pry one of you away or something.”

“...Huh?”

“Isa is getting a bit angry that well, your group of friends there aren't buying drinks. Happened to get me involved and well, I don't want to be a bully-”

“Oh, well, shit, um, I didn't realize. We, uh...well, I can let my friends know that we should be buying on the regular, but Juan Carlos and Miguel said they've been here for over a year now, and they know the place even after the first Shatterdome was, uh-”

Trevin held up a hand. “Slow down.”

The woman nodded, taking a deep breath. She was still quite red-faced, but gave him a hesitant, watery smile. “Um, yeah. Sorry...” She looked up towards Isa and winced. “I'm sorry Isa, er, for...uh-”

“ _Eh, just don't stay there for hours without buying something_ ,” Isa replied back in the native language, but Katherine didn't seem to comprehend it.

“Uh...”

“Same thing I was saying,” Trevin translated for her. “Seriously, makes the place and locals nervous if you don't get something regularly. Not only does the place need some of the currency, but it makes the locals think that Isa's tap isn't that great, which would then make others avoid the place, et cetera...”

Katherine winced. “Sorry...didn't realize it would be that bad.”

“Yeah, well, the place needs some boosting after all that's happened.”

“Juan Carlos and Miguel said it was pretty bad, and they've lived through it. I saw some of the wreckage on my way in from Dallas. My parents want me to come home after I told them about this place, threatened to cut me off from my inheritance, but who cares. Just meeting you has been great.”

Trevin nodded as he finished the rest of his ale and ordered another one. Katherine was clearly from a family with money and most likely nobility. Dallas was the technological hub of the Britannian Army and he suspected her parents were probably working on top secret clearance. She had the typical Britannian attitude and it seemed she was apparently using or clinging onto the two that lived here. He had a feeling that Juan Carlos and Miguel, judging by how flippant Katherine was about them, were not native Area 2 people, but rather like many in Britannia, probably immigrated here for business opportunities and deals. However, the fact that the two were here during the cultists' attacks made Trevin think that one of them was the Jaeger Fly with the information Marshal Franks was looking for.

“Well, how about introducing me to your friends and let's see if we can clear a few things up so you and your friends can stay here without angering the locals,” he put on his charming smile again and Katherine's eyes seemed to sparkle.

“Of course!”


	29. WMD Arc - Part III

It took two and half weeks, a denial of a date and two propositions from the more aggressive Jaeger Flies in that group, for Trevin to finally get the information.

Katherine, for her initial shy disposition had revealed a more promiscuous and flirty personality once Trevin had gotten her to introduce the group of Jaeger Flies. She was rather aggressive, being one of the two who propositioned him in a fit of boldness that he knew should not have surprised him. She was from a wealthy technological-based family who had built half of the facilities around Dallas. Not the scion of the family, but rather the second child of the nobles, she was known to have many connections with other noble families. Whether or not they were dalliances or affairs was up to whichever gossip headline one read, but it was clear that she was a social climber and being a Jaeger Fly was no exception considering the amount of technology involved.

Juan Carlos was the one who asked for a date that Trevin had to let the young man down gently with information that while he was quite handsome, Trevin just did not swing that way. The young man who was not part of a noble family, but rather merchants, merely smiled before accepting his explanation.

However, it did not stop another one of the male Jaeger Flies from offering the other proposition to Trevin. That particular encounter was rather charged as after being denied, the man had led one of the other women away with the clear intention that the two were more than likely going to do it in the bar's bathroom and that  _he_ was missing out.

Trevin was however, rather immune to such a type of social peer pressure and instead, ignored them and continued his conversation with the others. In the course of two and a half weeks, he learned that all of them while fans of Romeo Blue, were also fans of Gipsy Danger, finding their posting in Pendragon Shatterdome an odd romantic notion of knights protecting royals – never mind the fact that Suzaku was  _not_ a royal and Lelouch would vocally and vehemently deny he was a royal anymore.

A couple of them were also fans of Coyote Tango's newest iterating, finding the Beckets quite adorable. Trevin knew he had to rib the Becket brothers for that when they had their next video conference.

Some in the group of Jaeger Flies at Lima were from the Pendragon area, while some were from the Seattle and Portland region. One survived K-Day, the day that Trespasser attacked, lost half of her family. Surprisingly, all of them applied to Jaeger Academy, but couldn't make the cut.

Miguel and Juan Carlos were 'local' people, their families immigrated to Area 2 a couple of generations ago to become large families with thriving trade and a pseudo-nobility that enabled them to live well-off. Juan Carlos' family managed many estates of maize, local corn. Miguel's family cultivated varieties of chilies and exported them around the world. Both of them turned out to be second cousins, their merchant families marrying every so often to renew ties to each other.

And it was not surprising that at least one of the two approached him in a moment of casual individual conversation with the knowledge that he wanted to share regarding the cultists.

What he didn't expect were the words. “Juan Carlos is working with the cultists.”

“Come again?” Trevin stared at Miguel. He had tanned brown skin, belying his heritage from the local populace that had married into his family. There was some hints of Asiatic features that also spoke of immigrants from across the Pacific Ocean that were part of his family, but his Spanish was flawless. His hair was a wavy black and he had light blue eyes, an unusual trait, but seemed to be part of both Juan Carlos and Miguel's families as the other man had blue-green eyes.

“He's been supplying information about you and your brother's appearances here and what patrols come out of the Shatterdome.”

“Who does he supply the information to?”

“I don't know,” Miguel shook his head as he wrapped his hands around the glass of beer he was drinking. “I never see him-”

“It's a male?”

“Yes,” Miguel nodded. “I overheard their conversation once or twice whenever they think they're alone in the groves.”

“In person?”

“Phone,” Miguel replied. “The first time was when I was trying to find Pochi, the dog that my sister loves. She had run into the fields and hadn't come back after a day.” The man grimaced. “We found her eventually, menaced by one of the wild animals that are near the fields.” He drained the rest of his beer. “Juan Carlos' family's fields overlook the Shatterdome. We saw the first attack. It was horrible, seeing black smoke everywhere and the torches of the people attacking. My family's chilli fields are near Miraflores so we saw Reckoner.”

“I'm sorry that you had to witness that,” Trevin said solemnly.

Miguel's smile was brittle. “The kaiju are extremely powerful. We could only pray that they would spare us at that time. It seemed our prayers were answered when your Jaeger drove it from Lima.”

Trevin nodded, letting the silence stretch between them. He long learned there were no platitudes that could be said when words of thanks or even listening to survivors' tales were spoken. Most of the time, the speaker needed someone to just listen to them, a sympathetic ear that understood what it meant to survive a kaiju attack, to see a Jaeger driving away the monsters that attacked their home and killed so many.

Miguel drained the last of his beer and sighed as he pulled out a small chip and placed it next to the glass he had thunked down onto the table. “Conversation recording of the last time Juan Carlos spoke. I don't know what to make of it, but I thought it be important.” With that, he stood up, a wan smile on his face before he wandered off, slinging a friendly arm around his cousin and tugged him towards the bar to grab another drink from Isa.

Trevin deftly picked the chip up, palming it as he grabbed his own ale and wandered away towards where Bruce was holding court with some of the older locals. His brother was already cleaning them of their savings in what looked like a mean hand of poker. But it seemed all of the participants were in good cheer, betting with coins instead of larger denominations.

He leaned against the wall, watching his brother as he slowly folded himself out of the game. Bruce already knew that he had the information needed and it was time for the two of them to retire and report to Franks. It took another fifteen minutes before Bruce was able to extricate himself out of his game with no one the wiser and the two of them said their subsequent goodbyes as they headed back to the Shatterdome.

Upon arriving at the hallway to Franks' office, they found Anya, the Knight of Six, standing outside the door fiddling with her PDA a bored expression on her face. Next to her was Villetta Nu who looked decidedly uncomfortable as she kept shifting on her feet while leaning against the wall.

“Sirs,” Villetta greeted them as they walked towards them.

“Twos,” Anya looked up and a clicking sound was heard as she snapped a picture of them. “Marshal's yelling at Jeremiah and Ten.”

Trevin knew he and his brother had identical expressions of surprise as Villetta did a double take before looking away. “Can we ask?”

“The Margrave...er,” Villetta grimaced, “was defending my honor against what was perceived as the Knight of Ten's advances.”

“Translation: he got handsy. Jeremiah threw the first punch,” Anya stated bluntly over the sounds of electronic typing.

Trevin resisted the urge to slap his palm to his face. Bruce groaned out loud and the two of them sighed. “Not fucking again...” they muttered out loud. Trevin glanced at his brother. “Find Gino. Warn him if no one's done it already.” Bruce nodded.

“Sent an email to Three, but doubt that he got it. He's currently tending to Marika. She got part of it.”

“Warn him then, Bruce. We'll compare notes later,” Trevin nodded towards his brother who left the way they came from, no doubt to scour the Shatterdome for the Knight of Three.

The last time the Knight of Ten had done something like this landed Lucky Seven a posting to Sydney where the Shatterdome had barely begun construction and the start of missions to keep the Knight of Ten's more destructive tendencies at bay. It was a poor excuse of a band aid to a deeper problem with the Knight of Ten, but no one could dispute the two things that Luciano Bradley was known for – his ridiculous ability to Drift with Gino Weinberg no matter how much time apart the two spent away from each other – and that he was a terrifying presence that represented Britannia's might in a Jaeger.

Almost every single person of the First Class – and the graduating class of 2015-B knew who piloted Lucky Seven, but it was considered an open secret among them and not for distribution to the public nor to any other Ranger candidate. Even the Prime Minister agreed to list the other half of Lucky Seven as classified in order not to scare the countries of the knowledge that the Vampire of Britannia was a Jaeger pilot.

Thus Gino Weinberg was feted heavily and became very popular, especially with the female population of Britannia, while his partner Luciano Bradley was kept in the shadows. In a way, it had developed into its own popularity as many tried to figure out whom Gino was partnered with, but they all knew that it rankled the Knight of Ten to not be outed as a Jaeger pilot.

However, neither did Ten disobey what had to be direct orders either from the Prime Minister or the Emperor himself, to say that he was a Jaeger pilot. Such silence also began the series of aggression against Gino, against the Valkyrie Squadron that made part of Lucky Seven's J-Tech squad, and against the Jaeger teams that were housed in the same facility as the Jaeger.

For Trevin to learn that the Knight of Ten had aggressively harassed Villetta was inevitable. Luciano was a man who, if not fighting on some war front, tended to let loose destructive ways that swept up those around him. It had been six weeks since they arrived at Lima. The Knight of Ten and Valkyrie Squadron had taken a bulk of the patrols to flush out the local warlords in that time, but even Trevin thought that this current spate of aggression, especially unwanted sexual advances upon a fellow Jaeger pilot, was too much for the Knight.

“Anya,” he called out to the Knight of Six who looked up. He gestured with his chin for them to speak alone. She glanced at Villetta who nodded her assent before the Knight pocketed her PDA and followed Trevin down the hall.

“You've got an idea of what's causing this?” He asked the petite teenager. Anya Alstreim was _the_ youngest Knight of the Round at only sixteen. She was a former Ranger candidate who had entered with Gino and Luciano's class and graduated to be Lucky Seven's J-Tech Chief until she voluntarily transferred out to serve as Siegfried Kai's J-Tech Chief.

“Franks had them sim for the last couple of weeks. My guess is probably a RABIT that triggered this,” Anya replied monotonously. She did not seem bothered by it, but Trevin knew better. The young Knight had been one of Gino's friends, so for her to transfer out and leave him had surprised Trevin until Anya coolly explained that Gino had been attempting to protect her and personally went to the Prime Minister to force her transfer to a different team.

“Bruce is-”

“Yeah,” Anya looked away. “May help, will probably not. I'll warn Dr. Alenko.”

“You think it's going to be that bad?” Trevin frowned. There was an unofficial protocol of giving Gino a heads up whenever his partner was in a mood of sorts, to help prepare him to deal with whatever fallout. He did not know how the Knight of Three dealt with his volatile partner, but the fact that Anya was warning the on-base doctor made him worried. Most of the time, Trevin was aware that Gino became withdrawn, sullen and quiet for a few days, before seemingly shaking off his partner's influence and coming back to his cheerful self again.

The time that Gino had spent guarding Princess Euphemia had been the closest Trevin and Bruce had ever seen the Knight of Three be like his normal self before Drifting and compatibility were ever considered in the young man's life. Gino was naturally curious, bright, cheerful and almost puppy-like. There was a vitality and innocence to him that was refreshing even though there was also a painful naivety towards his questions and actions.

After Drifting, after becoming Luciano Bradley's partner, it was clear something in Gino had changed. He was more ruthless, more prone to ghosting his partner's personality, and some of the innocence he had was lost. He would not speak to anyone about what he experienced in the Drift nor what it was like Drifting with the Vampire of Britannia and no one in the PPDC nor of the First Class Rangers would ever pry. All Trevin and Bruce could do was watch the seemingly slow death of personality of the Knight of Three as the war against the kaiju continued.

“Gino's not here. Can't mitigate it. He's going to feel the brunt of it,” Anya eyed him. “Even if Franks decides to tranquilize Ten to keep him away. Can't keep him down forever so Gino's going to feel it.”

Trevin wanted to ask how they could help, but bit his lip and kept his silence. They were Knights. At that point, it was a point of pride if one was the interfere with another's affairs. But what Anya was implying just downright grated upon his sense of honor and righteousness. “They should have not been allowed-”

“Right, because forbidding someone from Drifting with a _chosen_ partner when we needed the Rangers is something that's not hypocritical,” Anya immediately shot back and Trevin shut his mouth.

“Yeah, well, we've got more classes and people. And Drifting isn't supposed to bring about abuse. It's supposed to be the opposite,” he knew his excuse was lame. But it was technically true. The rumors of budgets being overblown and the expense of building a Jaeger were starting to float around after how much damage Yamarashi had done to Gipsy Danger. Just the maintenance and time it would take to rebuild the Jaeger was making dents in budgets. From the First Class though now potentially trickling down into the Senior Ranger conversations, most of the countries with the exception of Britannia and possibly Australia, were finding it hard to finish and maintain more than two or three Jaegers. They were countries that did not have the economic might behind them, even though they had people willing to fight the kaiju.

At this rate, there would be more Rangers than Jaegers.

“We don't know what really happens between the two of them. We also can't take away a Jaeger with a kill,” Anya murmured.

“True,” Trevin agreed. There was also the fact that Lucky Seven was piloted by two Knights of the Round, same as Romeo Blue. To suggest to anyone that the pilots of Lucky Seven be replaced with new ones would put forth the suggestion that Romeo Blue could easily do the same. He sighed and looked to say more when the door to Franks' office opened and the two of them looked up to see the Margrave Gottwald walking stiffly out.

Villetta had straightened and approached her partner before the two of them laced their hands together and headed towards the elevators. It was clear that they were going somewhere to have a more serious conversation.

“Have to go,” Anya replied and Trevin watched her leave, following behind the two while she pulled out her PDA to type away some more.

He headed back to the office and peered in to see Franks giving Luciano a dark look. The orange-haired man's face was not even apologetic and instead, had a sardonic smile on his face. Trevin knocked, bringing both of their gazes on him.

“Ma'am,” he didn't bother acknowledging the Knight of Ten.

“Confine it,” Franks finished with a pointed look at Ten, “I mean it.”

“Ma'am,” Luciano's salute was as jaunty and insincere as his smile before he headed out.

The Knight deliberately slamming his shoulder into Trevin's on his way out. He glared at the orange-haired man before shaking his head and stepped into Franks' office. “Ma'am,” he greeted with a formal salute as he stood at attention in front of her.

“Judging by the fact you're here, I take it there was finally some success?” Franks asked.

“Yes,” he pulled out the chip that Miguel had given to him. “Audio recording of a call between a cultist and one of the local Jaeger Flies. The person in question hasn't been apprehended yet, but we can make it-”

“Not at this moment,” Franks shook her head as she took the chip and stared at it. “Keep working your contact. Did you get a base of operations yet?”

“No, but my informant did let me know that there are more than likely still cultists around and that they're entrenched within the populace that haven't fled when Reckoner attacked.”

Franks nodded. “Makes sense if you think about it. They see a kaiju attacking and think it's the end of the world and they resign themselves to it. Then they stay around to make sure it happens. This means the cultists might be more families who have settled here than imported populace. It works with the original theory Marshal Ansley had with local government officials and those who were stationed here be the focal point.”

She held up the chip. “I'll take a listen to it and let you know where we stand. The two of you going to do a sim analysis?”

“We were going to schedule one tonight, but...” Trevin trailed off and glanced at the door where Luciano had walked out of.

Franks snorted, a very unladylike noise before she crossed her arms across her chest. “Do it tonight. There's not going to be much of a fallout for that idiot's actions, not if he values his career and commission. Ten knows very well that he's on thin ice as a Ranger. Someone leaked to the Board his actions in the last year and half as Lucky Seven's hemisphere. While no one wants to separate a compatible pilot pair, they're willing to reassign Lucky Seven to another pair and ground the two again.”

“It's that bad?” Trevin did not realize that Gino actually meant what he had said when Lucky Seven had been taken off the front lines. He thought it was just something to do with Lima Shatterdome's status and the cultists. Apparently the Second Prince had deftly played it so that it was both a warning to the right hemisphere of the Jaeger _and_ in Britannia's best interests.

Franks' smile was mirthless. “I'll cut you some slack Two,” she stated. “Ten is an animal, simple as that. One that must be controlled and unleashed at certain times. Getting him into the Rounds gives a measure of control and gives us a weapon we can use effectively for purposes of quick ways to subdue those who would think of rising against us. He serves his purpose like all Rounds do.”

She pursed her lips for a moment as she rolled the chip across her knuckles in a deft display of dexterity. “To the Board, Lucky Seven represents the worse of what Britannia can offer for pilot pairs. If Lucky Seven is reassigned, you can be sure the Board will not heed any other Britannian to pilot it unless it is a mixed pair or one of the royals. It's enough that they know four Rounds pilot two machines of war designed to combat the kaiju, and there are others who think that we will take the firepower and destroy them if we wished it.”

“Which we won't...” Trevin eyed his immediate commanding officer.

Franks snorted again, but didn't answer as she rolled the chip in her fingers again and caught it as it flipped into the air. “Report on your analysis tomorrow, Two. Continue your duties. You and Bruce are off patrol rosters for now, but plan on going back on soon once we have actionable items.”

It was a dismissal as it could be and Trevin straightened and saluted before leaving the Marshal's office. As soon as the door closed behind him, he shivered a little. Franks was certainly still living up her reputation as the Ice Queen.

* * *

Tohdoh and Nagisa returned to duty two weeks before the Class of 2017-A graduated and their appearance on the traditional graduation call warmed Lelouch and Suzaku even though it was clear that both were still mourning. Five pilot pairs from the original eight that had started Term 3 were graduating. Two cousins, Britannians, were assigned to Hong Kong and the Mark III Jaeger Britannian Chrome Brutus. An EU pair, two men who had no experience except for being figure skating champions and training partners, were assigned an EU experimental Mark IV Jaeger named Solar Prophet and to Nagasaki Shatterdome. They were joined by two Japanese sisters who piloted Nova Hyperion. Tacit Ronin was reassigned to a mixed Australian and Japanese pair, smoothing out any ruffled feathers as Duc Jessop approved of the pairing. The last one was Echo Saber, an Australian made Jaeger assigned to an Indian and Chinese pair which had ruffled  _a lot_ of feathers in the Chinese Federation as the High Eunuchs denied that the Indian part of the pair was truly Indian insisted that she was Chinese as part of the Chinese Federation.

There might have been some obscenities thrown at the representative of the Chinese Federation on the Board of Governors during the graduation ceremony that was muted by Sergio D'Onofrio. All in all, it seemed the newest pairs provided some reshuffling of the Jaegers in the western Pacific, leaving the eastern Britannian Pacific to deal with the Lima issue and flushing out the cultists. For Lelouch, he instead, was focused on another project that had caught his attention in recent months since the audience with the Emperor.

* * *

“Ah haaaaaa,” Dr. Asplund's glee was evident even without the dragged out sound he made as Lelouch finished presenting his plan.

He heard the softest cough from Suzaku as he stood next to him, covering it with a hand across his lips, as he tried to contain his laugh. Dr. Chawla and Marshal Kennedy looked less amused by Asplund's noise, but ignored it as they studied the map and notes before them. Lelouch could see Kennedy hand moving, more than likely making notes to contain the deficiet of knowledge that was not presented. Chawla lazily smoked a pipe, but her lips were twitching in a crooked smile.

“And you figured this out in what, three months, less than that?” Chawla drawled. “I wished you were working for my division.” She sighed melodically as she blew a ring into the air. The smoke ring disappeared into the edges of the video feed that Lelouch had commandeered in the war room to present his case.

“Well, it could be inevitable considering we're mentoring Hydra Corinthian in their current batch of simulations,” he said.

“True, but this is really detailed...I like it,” Chawla nodded. “Good science and research, though lacking in some parts-”

“I'm on it,” Kennedy interrupted. “You'll have the data to complete your plan, Ranger in a couple of weeks.”

“Marshal,” Lelouch was pleased.

“So,” Chawla drawled again. “Who won what bet and that sort of thing?”

“Pardon?” Krieger spoke up behind Lelouch and Suzaku.

The Indian scientist waved an absent hand at them. “I was told the Rangers and Shatterdomes have all kinds of bets going on and stuff. We don't get any of that excitement here, but it does amuse me to find that say, Vincent Gloucester won the bet for Team Hydra Corinthian's apparent pilot pair coming out together during their interview. Then there was something about Cherno Alpha winning the bet against Coyote Tango's first pilots about who got first Jaeger from 2016-A or something like that...you know, those bets.”

Lelouch turned his head slightly to see Krieger with a flinty look on his face. “There was no bet-”

“Come on, I know you, Krieger. You're just as impressed as Kennedy here that this Senior Ranger figured out the plans for _both_ Vulcan Specter and Hydra Corinthian. I was already impressed with Gipsy Danger figuring out for Hydra, but including Vulcan Specter with just the visuals after its debut in May? Yep...”

“Not polite on an open channel like this,” Krieger refused to say more and Lelouch merely raised an eyebrow. So there was a bet going around. Perhaps it had been made by Tohdoh too considering the Marshal had returned to his duties with Nagisa about a month ago at Nagasaki.

“Spoilsport,” Chawla pouted before taking a long drag on her cigarette. She sighed dramatically. “Well, if it's approval, you've got mine to send this off to the other Marshals. I think the Board will also be surprised too considering it's similar to their plan. I like this one better because it accounts for the nuances and isn't risk adverse.”

“Got mine too,” Asplund sing-songed, “though I love the inclusion of the Blaze Luminous system in the gauntlets of both Jaegers. Good idea, though I do have to say, with my poor, poor Knightmare ruined-”

“Might I remind you doctor, that Dr. Chawla is not Britannian-”

“Yes, yes,” Asplund waved a hand, but did not speak more about the Kay. Trevin's prediction about the doctor bothering them about the Kay had come true a few days after the Knight's call. Asplund had lamented the breakdown of the Blaze Luminous, but it was the apparent pilot data that Suzaku had scored that excited the scientist. He had spent most of the time he was here to collect the Knightmare pestering Suzaku to quit the PPDC and join the ASEEC outfit as an experimental Devicer. It was Krieger who put a stop to it stating that Suzaku was neither a Britannian national, nor was he allowed to pilot a Knightmare anymore.

Asplund had grumbled the rest of the time about how unfair his cousin was as he left with the Kay.

“I'll give my tacit approval, but I want to gather some of the data we have on the Breach and check the numbers with K-Watch before its presented if that's all right?” Kennedy did not look at the screen, still occupied with whatever she was typing up.

“Depending on the numbers, I may need to refine the plan anyways,” Lelouch agreed. Time away and not under Kennedy's direct command made him look at the Marshal with a renewed sense of appreciation. The woman was very precise and asked questions about the science of his plan that even he had not anticipated. It was clear that being a Shatterdome commander was a chore to her and her personality thrived on the science and plans that had come up.

“All right then. Henrietta, copy me when you do get those numbers. Rangers, please stop by and we'll work on this together once those do come in. Then we'll present this to the other Marshals and the Board. Remember, no other Senior Ranger is to be notified of this. With the cultist situation at the moment, we cannot afford any leaks,” Krieger looked at all of them and Lelouch nodded once as did Suzaku.

The comms were shut off and the two of them turned to face the Marshal who had a proud smile on his aging features.

“Good job, you two. Though, I do wish you could have forewarned me instead of presenting it as such just now,” Krieger shrugged. “It would have been easier to come up with a few deflections of where some of your data, especially for Vulcan Specter might have come from.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Lelouch replied with a neutral look. “We studied the Jaeger when it made their debut and noticed some similarities with what Hydra Corinthian is getting built with.” He was not going to out the fact that the Gages had sent him the specs of the Australian Jaeger.

Krieger merely made a noise that could have passed for polite interest or agreement. “It seemed quite interesting that you were able to discern a cannon that was designed for deep-water excavation with just visuals considering it is the first-ever prototype that was built by Dr. Chawla's team.”

“Was just a guess,” Lelouch shrugged. “Chawla loves showing up Asplund from time to time so since Hydra is Asplund's brain child, it stands to reason that Chawla would have something up her sleeve and an equivalent.”

This time Krieger chuckled quietly. “The Earl's already asked for more testing of the Blaze Luminous before it is outfitted on the two Jaegers. Unfortunately, as things stand, we do not have that capability. However, if the two of you could send your analysis to the Glaston Knights later this week, it would be appreciated. Dismissed.”

“Sir,” they nodded, saluted and left.

As they headed towards their room to work in quiet, Lelouch could feel Suzaku's slight disconcerting feelings bubble up in their bond again. It had been happening on and off for the last couple of weeks, but Suzaku had not said much about it. Their simulations also did not produce any RABITs so he had left it alone, trusting his partner to tell him what was wrong on his own time.

Ever since the audience with the Emperor a few months ago, their relationship felt less frenetic and more at peace. There was a contentment among the two of them, like a hurdle of communication had been overcome. Oddly, Lelouch found himself talking less with Suzaku and more feeling him out whenever they were either working together or doing their own thing in the Shatterdome. Their time off was also spent with less worry and on more pleasant things, including Lelouch taking up more cooking in their room.

It felt almost...domestic in a sense and he wondered if it was the natural evolution of their partnership and relationship or if it was just because he did not have to worry about the Emperor's shadow looming over them anymore. They had even begun to take some trips outside of Pendragon during their days off – albeit severely incognito – and majority of them were to the nearby national parks. Suzaku had absolutely loved the outdoors.

Lelouch knew Suzaku's birthday was fast approaching and he had already asked Krieger for the day off, providing there was no kaiju attack, and was planning a small excursion to a private beach that Euphie's family owned. She had generously lent him the keys to the bungalow that she owned on the beach front in the small town of La Jolla – with a wink and nod for him to enjoy his day there. He still remembered how embarrassed he felt at the reminder of the brief conversation he had with Euphie in Hawai'i. But his embarrassment did not outweigh his determination to give his best friend a relaxing birthday present away from the Shatterdome and their responsibilities as Rangers. He hoped his partner would enjoy the pristine beauty of the picturesque town with its sheer cliffs, blue ocean and white, sandy beaches.

But with Suzaku's occasional fretting and worry for the last few weeks, Lelouch wondered if he should broach the subject of what was bothering his partner before his birthday approached.

They reached their room in short time and as Lelouch booted his PDA back up, sitting himself on the small two-person table in the room, he saw Suzaku rummaging around the freestanding closet, coming out with what looked like a thumb drive in his hand as he fired up his own PDA. His friend sat himself down in the seat across from him and Lelouch glanced at him.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

“I'm not sure...though,” Suzaku grimaced before looking at him. He looked resigned. “I...didn't want to worry you, but maybe, after we finish sending the analysis, you could help me with this problem?”

Lelouch tilted his head. “The analysis can wait. What's up?”

“I've been in regular contact with Daisuke-er, Dr. Saiki, since our trip to Japan,” Suzaku started as he flipped his PDA around so Lelouch could see the screen. “He was sent my samples of kaiju blue and helped develop the treatment for me with Dr. Peralta.”

“He is an expert,” Lelouch still felt the slight twinge of jealousy whenever the doctor was mentioned by Suzaku, but like the other times, he pushed it away. He couldn't get jealous, not of the man that Suzaku was still friends with, never mind the fact that Saiki developed the treatment plan for his partner.

“He's been doing some more research about kaiju blue with the samples that were given to him and keeping me posted. I send some of these to Marshal Kennedy since she's a kaiju expert.”

“Ah...that solves that mystery,” Lelouch teased gently. He knew about the folder to Kennedy since he had accessed Suzaku's email all those months ago. “And why Kennedy doesn't seem to bothersome now.”

Suzaku rolled his eyes at him, the brief flare of humor and exasperation floating across the their bond. It felt like the mental equivalent of a shove, but it at least mitigated some of the disconcerting feeling Suzaku had for the moment.

“The problem is, well, besides medical materials and analysis, there's something weird going on about Daisuke's emails to me. However, the brief times I've called him reveal nothing. He's all his usual cheerful self. Yet his emails and the wording of them are...off.”

“Off?”

“It...sounds like him, but it's like something's bothering him, and he can't or won't tell me. Even when I ask him over the phone. I'm trying to see if there's some coded message or hidden meaning in his emails, but it's leaving me frustrated. Yet I can't shake the feeling that he's trying to warn me of something each time we chat.”

“Does he send emails outside of the ones he gives kaiju blue analysis of?”

“No, that's the weird thing.”

“So these could be for Marshal Kennedy?”

“I take those out when I forward her his analysis.”

“Good point, so they're personal then?”

“It feels like it, but I'm not good with this sort of thing...and it didn't start bothering me until a few weeks ago and even just now with Krieger's comments.”

“Hidden meanings then,” Lelouch chewed his lower lip for a second before setting his PDA aside and looking up at Suzaku for confirmation to commandeer his device. His partner nodded his assent and he scrolled through the email that had been brought up. He was a little surprised to find that the email was in English, having thought that it would have been written in Japanese characters.

Though Lelouch's grasp of his partner's native language spoken was much better than his ability to read it, the bits and pieces of knowledge he had gleaned from the Drift helped on occasion. Suzaku had even begun to teach him, though their lessons were more intermittent due to their duties. He supposed because Dr. Saiki worked with  _Doctors Without Borders_ , he was more than likely used to composing emails in the dominant language of trade and business.

The initial email seemed innocuous enough and Lelouch turned the tablet back towards Suzaku who brought up a few others. He turned it back and read through them. It seemed like mundane conversation, mostly about the apparent woman that the doctor was seeing named Hinoto. Things about Hinoto's sister and along with what was happening in Tokyo Shatterdome since Nagisa and Tohdoh left to run Nagasaki. Genbu Kururugi was nominally in charge of Tokyo Shatterdome, but day-to-day operations was run by General Katase. There was something about Katase being transferred to Nagasaki to lead the Shatterdome with Tohdoh back on a limited basis after taking leave to help Nagisa deal with the grief of losing their unborn child.

There was some more personal conversations about Suzaku's estrangement with his father along with mention of how he was running Tokyo Shatterdome. Brief mentions of the Cherno Alpha team and Coyote Tango. It seemed the elder Kururugi had taken some interest in Akito Hyuga in a manner that the doctor seem to indicate that it may lead to eventual adoption into the family. However, the doctor reassured Suzaku that Akito seemed to have no interest and was as polite as possible whenever interacting with the new Marshal.

Suzaku's reply to that particular sentiment was more bitter and very biting towards his own father's actions and did not lay any blame on the man who was ethnically Japanese, but identified as wholly European.

Lelouch more often than not saw his own name mentioned in return by the two of them, affection and warmth clear in Suzaku's words to the doctor and a surprising amount of support returned. Euphie was mentioned in equal measure and the doctor seemed to both tease and sound jealous that Suzaku had such a large heart and capacity to deeply cherish and love two people at the same time.

Overall, there was nothing in his initial reading of the emails that piqued his interest. He frowned as he sat back, staring absently at the tablet. He turned to Suzaku. “Anything the doctor say to contradict his emails?”

“That's the weird part,” Suzaku crossed his arms across his chest, shaking his head lightly as he also stared at the tablet. “He doesn't say, but he reassures me that it's fine. Like occasionally repeating verbatim what he said in the email that have words of reassurance.”

Lelouch's frown became even more pronounce. “Like word for-”

“Yep,” Suzaku nodded before shaking his head and shrugged helplessly. “That's why I'm looking at his emails, at the lines that he's written reassurance, like about my father and Corporal Hyuga, about the ones I talk to him about you, about when I talk to Euphie. He literally says it word for word. It's like he's reading his reply to me when he says it.”

“He did this in every conversation?”

“No, only when I started to ask and picked up on it. We talk about other things, but something can just make him say those lines.”

“Does he repeat them?”

“Some times, but it's hard to discern. Some times it's just a word or two, or it's a whole sentence. I was talking with him a few days ago about how Nagisa and Tohdoh were since he just came back from Nagasaki. He mentioned that Corporal Hyuga seemed to be avoiding my father again, or at least being cautious around him, but that the corporal more than likely was not going to agree to even be adopted as a son even if asked.”

Lelouch glanced at the email that directly mentioned it and saw that at least the last few words of what Suzaku had said were exactly the same ones that the doctor had written. “What did you say after?”

“Asked about how Colonel Breisgau may feel about that and he laughed it off and moved on. But I can't shake it. He said that about the corporal twice in context of my father. First time it happened, I didn't make much of it and thought it was just him being him, reassuring me and that stuff. This one, made wonder why would he repeat it. I should already know. I don't need to be told twice or it just feels like someone's coddling me.”

Lelouch did not need to read his friend to know that the frustration had grown. Instead, he glanced back at the emails. “Your father and Corporal Hyuga were mentioned twice, right?”

“Yeah.”

“What about Euphie, myself, even I guess the kaiju blue?”

“Euphie, about three times, you about the same and the kaiju blue came up like once, but that one didn't have as much repetitive words...” Suzaku trailed off. “You think maybe it's about the people?”

“I mean, first glance, I can't see anything that's off about the emails. The repeating of words don't make any sense and the context of what you've sent to Marshal Kennedy is all scientific data.”

Suzaku's shoulders slumped. “So there's no pattern.”

“Hey,” Lelouch arched a look at his best friend. “Not saying that either. These things take time...”

“Yeah...” He sighed.

“We could start by the next time you call, or if he calls, mention all those things in one conversation and see what you get from there,” Lelouch suggested.

“And if he repeats the same words?”

“We'll leave it at that. The call after that, mention about kaiju blue, the pilots and just Euphie or something like that. See if he links it to myself like he does in the email to you. Then do the same with Corporal Hyuga. Reverse after that, myself and see if he links it to Euphie and your father and to the corporal.”

“What are you getting at?” Suzaku looked at him.

“I don't know, but if he seems fixated, there's something about it that he's saying or not saying. But we don't know the context, so we'll have to figure out in what context that he's saying those words. What questions make him say those words and what the flow of the conversation means.” Lelouch glanced up and saw a slightly bewildered expression pass through Suzaku's face and reached out to grasp his hand, squeezing it gently. “It's kind of like a slowed down version of how I read people, Suzaku. Except a more thorough analysis. You have that ability too. Just probably emphasized more now that we're Drifting.”

“I do?”

“Enough to be bothered by all of this for the last few weeks,” Lelouch shoved his partner's tablet back towards him. “This version just digs deeper. It's going to take time, but now that we know...”

“I can call him now-”

“Are your calls random or set?” He interrupted.

“Kind of, uh, random. If something of interest pops up or mostly just to chat. Er, he'll probably call on my birthday...”

Lelouch grimaced. It was expected considering Suzaku had a lot of friends and more than likely they were going to call or text him all day to wish him a happy birthday, but now with this situation, he didn't exactly want to  _work_ or have Suzaku work on his birthday...

“What?”

He smoothed out his face as he realized his friend misinterpreted his expression. “I...got the day off from Krieger providing no kaiju attack, to go down to La Jolla. Euphie recommended a great seafood restaurant with plenty of privacy and discreet staff and gave us the keys to her bungalow on her family's private beach to stay the night. Their beach leads into one of the many trails in a nearby national park I thought we could hike in since you liked the last excursion we went in. It was supposed to be a surprise...”

“Ah...well...” Suzaku's expression was a mix of consternation and adoration. He licked his lips for a second before a small smile appeared. “Thank you, and I promise to be surprised when we do drive there-”

Lelouch rolled his own eyes and snorted quietly.

“And...I could ignore his call-”

“No,” he shook his head. “No. He's your friend. I'm not getting in the way of that. I didn't mean to sound selfish and guilt trip you-”

“It wasn't a guilt trip-”

“But it's going to bother both of us if you don't answer that call, but also that he's your friend calling to wish you a happy birthday so no...just-” Lelouch realized he was babbling at that point and waved a hand in the air. He closed his eyes briefly, wishing he could take back some of his words. It was silly really, to force Suzaku to choose.

“Lelouch,” Suzaku's voice was soft and quiet and he opened his eyes to see his friend staring at him with smile on his face. “Thank you,” he nodded once. “If it happens and I'm not busy, we'll go with what you suggested. If Daisuke forgets, there's always next time.”

It was a good compromise and he nodded in return. He sighed, stretching his arms at his obvious discomfort and the awkwardness of the situation before glancing back at Suzaku. “Analysis for the Glaston Knights?”

“Yeah, let's get started,” Suzaku agreed.


	30. WMD Arc - Part IV

Trevin rubbed his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

This was perhaps, by far in his limited career as an intelligence officer, the most interesting mission he had been assigned. His initial analysis of Miguel and Juan Carlos, the two Jaeger Flies that had apparent local connections to the cultists and Lima Shatterdome, might have been wrong. Miguel had said Juan Carlos was part of the cultists and gave him audio recordings a couple of months ago to prove that his cousin was a part of the the group.

Then Juan Carlos had approached him separately two weeks after that with his own audio recording – almost the exact same one – except it implicated Miguel.

He, Bruce and Marshal Franks did not know what to make of either recording after listening to it countless times and even doing a couple of simulation analysis chasing after the RABITs of Trevin's encounters with the two as well as listening to the tapes again _during_ the simulation. Both tapes were exactly the same, the only difference was the name spoken. They had even sent it to the analysts back at OSI headquarters in Pendragon and they came back with the fact that there was no discernible difference or indication that either one was doctored or the real version.

Trevin spent the next month studying the two men, getting to know them, becoming friendly. Franks wanted them to invite him to either family's estate, whether it was the pepper fields or the maize. Something was going on with the two, but any sort of haste would make the cultists go back into hiding and it was the last thing any of them wanted.

“Long day?” Miguel's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he turned to see the young man sitting down next to him with a drink more full of foam than the local brew.

“I hope you didn't pay full price for that,” Trevin eyed the drink and Miguel laughed lightly.

“I don't think I did, but it's Isa. She seems pretty vengeful tonight. My guess is that she had to kick out two people earlier,” the other man shrugged. “Happened while you weren't here. They got a bit...familiar with her.”

Trevin frowned and glanced back to the bar where Isa was serving up another customer. She didn't look too bruised, but then again, he also knew that she could handle herself for the most part.

“I helped, so did Katherine.”

“Thanks. I'm sure she appreciated it,” Trevin replied though he flicked a finger against Miguel's glass. “Though doesn't seem like she appreciated your help?”

“Fifth glass already. She says she doesn't want me to be sleeping here, smelling like stupid chili.”

Trevin chuckled. “You need help getting back?”

“I'm fine. I can handle my liquor,” Miguel waved him away. “Long shift?”

“More training. My brain always feels like mush each time after a long simulation.”

“I thought your brother would be here?”

“Nah, Bruce is coping with those in his own way.” There was always the grain of truth in the deflection he told them. It was true, they did have a long simulation, but it was more for analytical simulation than actual training. Bruce also spent the time after the simulations with Amanda. Whenever that happened, Trevin _really_ wanted to get a bit tipsy so that he didn't exactly have to share a lot of the...more intimate sensations from his twin. Truth be told, he was a little jealous of ordinary siblings who Drifted like the Beckets or even the pilot pairs that inevitably hooked up. They only spoke of a bond and impressions. Having both a connection with his twin that seemingly amplified their bond felt worse, like he was a voyeur into the actual feelings and motions, occasional thought bordering on an extra sensory perception, especially whenever Bruce and Amanda decided to have sex.

Those were the times he missed Igraine or tried to find some kind of solace by getting drunk enough to kill most of the buzz, or seeking out a willing partner. More often than not, it was the drunk option considering he disliked having one-night stands on principle.

“Damn, I was hoping he was here. Wanted to ask him something,” Miguel shook his head and Trevin sipped his own drink.

“Last week's game?”

“Sort of,” the other man shrugged before draining the mostly foam and whatever was left of the ale. He set the glass down with a decisive thunk so close to Trevin's own hand that he reflexively removed it out of the way.

“Hey!” he shook his head at Miguel. “You definitely had way too much, man.”

“Hmm? Oh...” Miguel shrugged before smiling at him. “Or you're just not paying attention.”

Trevin frowned, opening his mouth for a second before he blinked as a sudden wave of dizziness assaulted him. His world spun briefly before it righted itself and he grabbed hold of the tabletop, wondering what the hell just happened. He blinked several times, feeling a sudden spike of concern before he glanced down at his hand – the one that the glass had been nearly slammed into – and saw it.

It was a thin red line...

Just like the thin red line that Cornelia's attacker had on his throat when he tried to assault her. That man had died thrashing and choking on his screams and spit from the venom that had entered him from the Second Princess' weapon of last resort.

He blinked again, finding that his world was spinning quite out of control and he was starting to feel a little nauseous.

“Hey...I think you've had a little too much to drink-”

Trevin tried to brush off the decidedly unhelpful arm that had picked him up and looped around his own. _Miguel_ , his mind thought frantically. Miguel had poisoned, or drugged him somehow. He looked down and spotted the distinctive innocuous black band that he remembered seeing on Cornelia...that he spotted on Princess Euphemia's hair, and he knew for a fact that Lelouch Lamperouge carried as memento of his mother.

Miguel owned one of the weapons given only to Britannian royals.

“C...Cornelia...” his tongue felt heavy as he saw his world tilt and part as he half stumbled, and was half led out of the bar.

“ _He okay?_ ” He heard Isa's voice and tried to shake his head, but that only made the dizziness worse. He could feel more concern press into him, followed by a spike of frantic worry – Bruce, his mind supplemented – and tried to rearrange his thoughts. This was bad...this was very bad...

“He knows of the plan for the Second Princess?” A harsh voice echoed above Trevin and he felt another set of arms loop over his other one as his feet stopped working.

“I don't know-”

“You idiot!”

Trevin recognized the voice and tried to turn his head. It was Juan Carlos speaking now...the two...Miguel and Juan Carlos...they were _both_ cultists and traitors. And both had been playing him, playing Franks from the start.

But they were talking about a plan...for the Second Princess. Trevin blinked again, as the path before him turned into grass then sounds of something opening and then the acrid smell of stale cushions and faint sourness of dried sweat filled his nostrils. He couldn't quite move anymore as his whole body seized. He thought he heard the rumble of a car starting then movement.

Cornelia...they had a plan...and they had one of those weapons...their target was Cornelia... Trevin's last thought before blackness engulfed him was that Bruce was going to be so pissed off for ruining his night with Amanda.

* * *

“Happy birthday, Suzaku,” Lelouch murmured, punctuating each word with a kiss trailing slowly down his partner's body. He smiled against the bare skin as he felt Suzaku shudder and twitch, his breath coming in quick pants.

“C-Can-”

“No,” he whispered as he continued to slowly trail kisses, taking his time. He could clearly feel the pleasurable agony of want and need pressing on his mind, but ignored it. “Not until I order it...”

“Y-Yes...Your Highness,” Suzaku stuttered, biting back a moan as Lelouch kissed a particularly sensitive spot.

He kissed the spot again, letting his lips linger with a gentle sucking motion as he felt the twitch of muscle underneath and the sharp intake of breath above him. After a few seconds, he lifted his head, smiling slightly at how his lover looked, splayed out on the bed, slack-jawed, emerald green eyes dark with desire staring at him. Suzaku held his hands above his sweat-plastered head, fighting the instinct and initial command to not move in reciprocal manner as Lelouch serviced him.

It was always beautiful to see Suzaku slowly come apart at his careful ministrations and spurred him to continue.

They had spent the day hiking the trails, wandering the beach and having dinner at the restaurant Euphie recommended. It wasn't until dessert that Lelouch asked Suzaku what he wanted for his birthday. Perhaps it was the wine they had drank to loosen inhibitions, but his partner had shyly asked to roleplay that of a Knight and his royal.

It was something Lelouch did not quite expect, but obliged as soon as they drove back to the bungalow. His initial worry as he gave his orders to Suzaku to strip the two of them naked was replaced with confidence at the way Suzaku had been responding to his ministrations. He supposed his friend had other ideas, before Lelouch had deftly taken the lead in tonight's activities. It was clear that Suzaku wanted something like this from him for a long time, but had been very hesitant to ask after all that they had been through. Rejecting the Emperor and chance to become a Prince must have put a lot more courage back in his friend to ask for this particular favor as a birthday gift.

Lelouch lowered his head again and gently ghosted his fingers on the patch of skin he had kissed before he moved to explore another area. Suzaku bit back another moan, but it wasn't as stifled as the last time, his legs and hips bucking in response. Lelouch knew his partner was already edging if not coming close and he hadn't even fully started.

“S-Sire...l-let me...”

Lelouch smirked and looked to issue a playful reprimand before the sudden pounding of the front door startled him. All thoughts of desire and of what he was doing to Suzaku flew out of his mind as the two of them sat up, instantly alert. The door pounded again and a muffled voice was heard.

“-louch! --zaku!”

“Is that...” Suzaku frowned, trying to steady his breaths.

“...Euphie?” Lelouch squinted, canting his head as the door pounded again.

“Lelouch! Suzaku!”

Concern flooded across their bond as they realized it _was_ Euphie who hammered at the front door. Lelouch hastily reached over to their pile of neatly discarded clothes and pulled out their boxers, tossing Suzaku his own. They dressed, not even bothering with the rest of their clothes. Lelouch grabbed his mother's _gom jabbar_ from where it normally rested on the nightstand, slipping the innocuous band around his wrist as they left the bedroom.

Lelouch saw Suzaku disappear into the kitchen before emerging with a chef's knife held low in one of his hands. Even though it sounded like Euphie at the door, the frantic pounding made them leery. No one except for Euphie knew they were here. Lelouch approached and briefly peered out of the keyhole as the door rattled again.

“Lelouch! Suzaku!” Euphie's voice was clearer now and he saw her voluminous pink hair and terrified expression.

He pulled the door open, waving away Suzaku's hand that held the knife.

“Oh thank God!” Euphie breathed, her expression looking less frightened. Behind her were Shirley and Milly, the two of them with worried expressions on their faces.

“What's...” Lelouch pulled the door open further to let the women in. He did not miss the sudden glance back Shirley gave towards the outside world as he closed it behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Suzaku slip the hand that held the chef's knife behind him as they stood by the door.

“Hang on,” Euphie said as she took a few steps towards the keypad that kept the bungalow secure and tapped in a series of numbers that Lelouch didn't recognize. Euphie had only given him the codes to disable the security feature, but this new one. There was a distinctive humming sound and he automatically stepped away from the door as he felt the hair-raising buzz twitch against his bare skin. It was gone just as fast.

He glanced at the door and back to Euphie who looked a little more relieved as she sighed and rested her head against the wall next to the keypad.

“Euphie-”

Suzaku was closer by virtue of the small crowded hallway and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder.

However, it was Shirley who spoke up. Her voice was quiet, subdued. “We, uh...got a-attacked,” she stuttered over the word. The two of them glanced at her. She stood with her hands folded demurely in front of her. “Girls night out...they...”

“Tried to kidnap us,” Milly took over the narrative, stepping up next to Shirley and nodding at her in reassurance. She looked at them. “We managed to escape them, looked to drive back, but Krieger warned us away from the Shatterdome. It seemed someone discovered a bomb in one of the bays near Gipsy and they were attempting to disable it.”

She grimaced as she leaned against one of the two loveseats in the small living room. The bungalow's entrance led directly into the living room, per the style of housing. “We didn't know where to go, but Euphie said to just drive and directed us here...” Her grimace turned into a wince. “Sorry...we didn't...” She looked away and Lelouch caught the faint hint of a blush rising on her face.

He pressed his lips together ignoring the uncomfortable look. It was clear by the growing blush and avoidance of looking at him and Suzaku that the women had guessed what they were doing. Instead, he directed his attention to his half-sister. “Euphie,” he called out and she turned her head to look at him. She reached up to squeeze Suzaku's hand briefly with her own before he removed it from her shoulder.

She nodded, her expression sad. It confirmed what Lelouch thought had happened. “It's secure here, bunker-style, though with a modification of the Blaze Luminous,” she said and felt the start of surprise pass between him and Suzaku. “Recently installed.”

Lelouch nodded. “Give us a few minutes and we'll talk.” He resisted the urge to sigh, trying to tamp down the feeling of resentment and the slight annoyance that had flared at the unspoken confirmation. This was Euphie's home, she had every right to enter and do as she saw fit. But it was also of what happened to her that annoyed him – not towards her – but towards a generality he couldn't quite name.

He moved past them, noting only that Suzaku had ducked back into the kitchen to place the chef's knife back in its place before he entered the bedroom. He felt his partner's presence behind him and sighed as Suzaku closed the door gently behind them.

“...Hey...it's-”

Lelouch turned, crushing his lips against Suzaku's as he crowded him into the back of the door. He felt the faint buzz of surprise flit through their minds as he reached into Suzaku's boxers. He swallowed the moan that half-emerged from his lover's mouth as he finished him off quickly, knowing how close Suzaku had been before they were interrupted. Lifting his lips and feeling a bit breathless himself from the searing kiss he had initiated, Lelouch looked deep into the emerald green eyes.

“Sorry,” he whispered quietly. “I-”

“Shh,” Suzaku managed to speak, his own breath a lot faster than Lelouch's own, still coming down from the high. “It's fine...it's fine...it's-” He swallowed before a faint bubble of laughter emerged. “Not what we expected, right? I mean...”

“I'll make it up to you, I swear,” Lelouch replied before kissing his friend's lips again. He hated that this was supposed to be his gift to Suzaku, to make it all about him and what he wanted, and then he wasn't able to come close to fulfilling his friend's fantasy.

The corner of his partner's lips twitched up in a smile as they parted. “Next time,” Suzaku murmured before Lelouch felt one of his hands move towards his own waistband.

“I'm fine,” he shook his head. He didn't feel the need for any reciprocation and Suzaku nodded. They stepped away from each other and Lelouch went to go wash his hands in the bathroom attachment while Suzaku went to dig a pair of clean underwear out. Drying his hands on a towel, he went back into the bedroom and separated the pile of clothing that had been folded when they had initiated their roleplay. It was odd really, considering most of the time they had sex, the clothes were in haphazard wrinkled piles. This particular time, Lelouch had been quite precise, enjoying the control and ordering Suzaku to strip them and fold the clothes neatly before they had continued in bed.

“Maybe this should start every time,” he commented as he changed. It was nice to change back into clothing that wasn't wrinkled from disrobing each other.

“I'm sure you'll remember the next time we combat Drift,” Suzaku replied as he came over to change into his clothes.

Lelouch rolled his eyes and gave his friend a look as he finished changing. He slipped the _gom jabbar_ back onto his wrist and stepped back out of the bedroom. Suzaku followed shortly, as they took the few steps to the living room.

Euphie's bungalow was built in what the architects had called the Californian style. It was compact, with narrow hallways that could fit a person and a half. Cozy was the word used for the style of home, perfect for a single person or two to live comfortably. Euphie had a one-and-a-half bedroom bungalow, the half-room holding a small office and a loveseat that could be pulled out into a twin-sized bed for a guest. The entrance to the dwelling lead into the living room, where a couch in front of a small fireplace was the main feature. Two loveseats were on opposite ends of the couch and there was a tiny alcove that connected to the small kitchen. A table, fitting no larger than two seats was supposed to supplement the dining table.

It was clear that her private home was similar to the one that Lelouch had in Hawai'i shared with himself, Nunnally and Sayoko. He also wondered when Euphie had brought or built the place as it seemed new in some respects, but had the wood panelings of an old house.

He glanced over into the kitchen as he saw Euphie taking two mugs of what smelled like mint tea and hand one over to Milly who gave it to Shirley and take the other mug for herself. Euphie, however, placed a fruity tea that smelled of raspberries and lemon into her own mug before she walked over into the living room and sat down on one of the loveseats.

“Sorry,” she apologized, looking at them as they entered.

“What's going on,” Lelouch ignored the apology as he leaned against the frame of the wall that separated the living room from the narrow hall and the kitchen. Suzaku headed into the kitchen to pour himself some hot water and more than likely the mint tea.

“Lelouch?” His friend called back and Lelouch shook his head, waving an absent hand towards Suzaku who returned after a few seconds, holding the hot mug as the bagged tea steeped in it.

“Cornelia's undergoing surgery after an assassination attempt on her a few hours ago,” Euphie said quietly, her features expressionless. However, the tightening of her fingers around her mug told Lelouch otherwise.

“Guilford? Darlton?”

“No word, though knowing Guilford...” Euphie swallowed heavily. She did not need to say anymore that with no word and Cornelia's state, there was a chance that the Knight was dead.

“We think whatever attack happened to the Second Princess was supposed to happen to Euphie at the same time as we got jumped by a bunch of people dressed like thugs while we were having our girls night out,” Milly explained. “Thought they were fans at first before they tried to grab Euphie. We fought them off, ran to the car and was about halfway back to the Shatterdome when Krieger called Euphie to stay away.”

“The bomb,” Lelouch stated.

“Did Krieger say why it was near Gipsy's bay?” Suzaku asked.

“No, but he told us to stay away and get somewhere safe,” Milly shook her head. “Euphie told me to drive here...” She sipped her tea.

“I received word about Cornelia's condition during the drive,” Euphie picked up the narrative again. “I...thought...”

Lelouch frowned slightly. “I appreciate the thought, but it seems like it was clear who was the target and who was the secondary objective at this point.” He waved an absent hand around the bungalow. “No one knew we were here, except for you, and though we were at the restaurant, the time frame would be too short.”

“...Yeah...” Euphie nodded at his assessment, but still did not look happy. Lelouch did not blame her. “I told Mother to lock Menra down...”

“Her staff will protect her,” Lelouch uncrossed his arms and sighed. “Nothing more than to wait until an all clear from Krieger.”

“I...don't think we were followed,” Shirley looked nervous as she sipped her tea. “But...”

“We weren't. I checked,” Euphie reassured her and Shirley nodded mutely.

“You've all had a long day,” Lelouch pushed himself off from the wall and caught his sister's eyes. She set her cup down with a wan smile and moved to help him find extra blankets and bedding for the additional guests as they walked down the hall. He heard Milly and Shirley's voice speak up again, but it was hushed and quiet. He surmised that they were probably talking with Suzaku.

“I'm really sorry, Lelouch,” Euphie apologized as they stopped by the closet and Lelouch reached up to dig around for the spare blankets that he had seen when they had first arrived in the morning. “I know it's Suzaku's birthday and-”

“It's your home, Euphie. We're only guests-”

“Stay, in the master bedroom. I'll take the office for tonight while we wait for the all-clear.”

Lelouch glanced at her to see that her expression was set and reluctantly nodded. He handed her a couple of blankets and dug around for a third spare and pulled out a rather old looking quilt. It smelled like mothballs and the two of them grimaced at the stench. He added it to the pile Euphie was holding before he found three pillows, one of which was extremely flat looking.

“Any other word on Cornelia?” Lelouch asked as he closed the closet door and they walked back down the hallway.

“No,” Euphie looked worried.

“Dr. Elund will do his best,” he reassured her. He knew he could have said that the doctor would have taken care of Cornelia, but empty platitudes was not his style.

“I know...” Euphie murmured as they arrived. The quiet conversation between the three others stopped as they set the blankets and pillows down and everyone winced as the pungent smell of mothballs filled the air.

“Maybe we shouldn't use this one...” Euphie picked at the old quilt.

“No...it's fine, I'll sleep with it,” Shirley reached over and took it from Euphie's hands. She laughed, a watery sound, “I have some allergies too, so I can't smell it as bad-”

“At least let it air out for half an hour before trying to sleep on it,” Euphie looked distressed.

“Okay,” Shirley reassured her with a brief smile before she glanced at them. “Um, can someone help me move the other loveseat so I can make a bed out of it?”

“Oh, sure,” Suzaku set his own cup down, most of the tea having been drained, as he went over to carry the other loveseat in the living room to where it was spaced evenly from the one Shirley was going to use as her makeshift bed.

“Sorry...I don't have enough room-”

“Euphie, stop apologizing. It's fine, you don't have to be a host to us when you're in such a state,” Milly waved her apology away. “We'll be fine. All right? Go, go call your family. Check in on them, make sure they're safe...”

“Thanks guys,” Euphie's mask finally began to crack as she reached over to pick her pillow and blanket. She took a deep breath, giving them a wide smile that did not reach her eyes before she wiped hastily at them and hurried down the hall again. The door to the office was opened and slammed shut quite decisively.

Lelouch heard Suzaku sigh deeply and glanced over to see his friend shake his head a little before turning back.

“Do you need anything else? There's some more cups in the third cabinet from the right of the sink. Not much in terms of food except for some bread, frozen dinners and a couple of unopened cans of soda. Cereal's on the counter, though no milk.” Suzaku looked at them.

“No, but thank you for being such a gentleman, Suzaku. We'll be fine for the night.” For a second, Lelouch caught something of a half-formed tease in Milly's expression before it was gone just as fast. He wondered what she had been thinking of saying as he reached over to shut the lights in the kitchen as Milly and Shirley settled themselves in the living room.

“Good night,” Suzaku called after the two of them as they headed back down the hall and into their bedroom.

As soon as the door closed, Lelouch drew Suzaku close to him, letting their heads rest against each other. He breathed in his best friend's scent, the faint smokey-pine shampoo that he liked using as part of the Shatterdome's usual stock of personal grooming items. It was a scent that Lelouch had no opinion on until the aftermath of Yamarashi when he had been deep in the throes of the Drift Shock. It calmed him and since then he had associated the shampoo with Suzaku and the feeling of protective comfort.

“I had a good time today, Lelouch,” Suzaku murmured, his voice rumbling against his chest. “Thank you, for the dinner. It was sweet and romantic...”

“You're welcome,” he replied, feeling a little relieved that at least a majority of his partner's birthday was a success. The dinner was probably the highlight considering sex was off the table with the extra guests here – he was not inclined to exhibit how loud they could get, nor would he thoroughly embarrass the three women who were clearly still traumatized from their ordeal.

He felt a kiss on his cheek before Suzaku moved away. “Come on...like you said, nothing we can do except wait for Krieger to give the all-clear, right? Let's get some sleep...”

Lelouch nodded and followed his friend to their bed, stripping out of his clothes once more. He ducked under the covers and curled into Suzaku's embrace, falling asleep listening to his steady heartbeat.

* * *

Lelouch's snapped open at the softest tread of feet outside the door followed by a soft knock a half second later. He had not slept well, habits from a time before Jaegers and kaiju making his consciousness rest just at the edge of sleep and wakefulness throughout the evening. It had been a long time since he felt this on-edge, the wakefulness of a potential assassination attempt or an assassin target near him, followed by the deep seeded urge to make sure that said target was protected as best as possible.

He opened his eyes as he felt Suzaku shift in his arms, also coming awake, having slept a little deeper than he did. The knock came again before Euphie peered in.

“Sorry...” she whispered, catching sight of him.

“We're awake,” he pushed himself up from the bed. It seemed Euphie had also reverted the same habits as he had; dark circles under her eyes and bloodshot eyes. She looked more exhausted than he did and he supposed she did not sleep at all or get to the point where her consciousness rested between wake and sleep. Next to him, Suzaku blinked opened his eyes and turned his head as it laid on Lelouch's lap, looking at Euphie while reaching up to cover a yawn that emerged from his mouth.

“What's up?” Lelouch resisted the urge to yawn in reflex at the feeling that ghosted through their bond.

“We got the all-clear,” Euphie held up her phone. “The Knight of Nine's going to be picking me up by Jumphawk and taking me to Anchorage.”

“Nonette Enneagram?” Lelouch raised an eyebrow. The last anyone heard, Enneagram had been placed in charge of subduing the local resistance forces of Area 18, taking over most of Cornelia's core army forces once she had become a Jaeger pilot. Enneagram had been chosen specifically because she had been Cornelia's mentor during her time at the war academy. Recalling the Knight of Nine from the front lines was a surprising move considering Area 18 was still resisting.

Euphie nodded.

“At least its a familiar face,” Lelouch offered quietly.

Euphie's smile did not reach her eyes, but she nodded again. “Wanted to let you know before the Jumphawk arrives in about twenty.”

“Appreciate it,” Lelouch replied as Euphie closed the door and padded further down the hall; no doubt to let Milly and Shirley know.

He sighed and rubbed his face, feeling like his eyes were being dragged over sandpaper. Suzaku moved his head away from him, and a second later, Lelouch felt a gentle kiss drop on his cheek and opened his eyes to see a faint smile appear on his friend's face as the two of them got ready for the day.

They were ready in fifteen minutes, packed and helping Milly re-arrange the furniture as well as folding up the blankest and pillows as Shirley finished getting ready in the half-bathroom. The atmosphere was subdued as all waited for the tell-tale rumble of a Jumphawk that would be taking Euphie away and allowing them to head back to the Shatterdome. It was clear no one really got any semblance of sleep during the night. Milly's eyes were as bloodshot as Euphie's with equally dark circles under them and Shirley's were red-rimmed, a clear sign she had been crying even though she had tried to scrub away the evidence.

The blankets, pillows and sheets from the bed were piled onto a loveseat to be cleaned at a later date while the mugs were placed in the dishwasher. The garbage was collected to be thrown out when they left and Lelouch handed Euphie the key she had given him the day before.

They all sat around, Euphie on the unoccupied loveseat, Lelouch, squashed in between Milly and Shirley on the couch with Suzaku perched on the edges of the couch. All of them didn't say much, though their gazes flitted towards the door. Lelouch caught Euphie fiddling with the distinctive black band that used to be hidden in her voluminous hair now on her wrist. Her personal _gom jabbar_.

With the summer months, there was no easy way to hide the weapon on the short sleeves – or in Euphie's case, the sun dress she wore – and so it stood out against their pale skin. Lelouch usually shoved his into the pockets of the pants he normally wore, but in this case, he kept his out. Even though they were given the all-clear, he would not put away his weapon until he was sure that Euphie was safe.

Suzaku was the first to apparently hear the Jumphawk as he immediately stood up and headed to one of the windows to peer out. That was when Lelouch saw the greenish hue of the Blaze Luminous that had been installed as a bunker shield around the small bungalow. A few seconds later they heard the distinctive rumble of the rotors as it approached, growing louder and louder.

Small tremors shook the house as what sounded like more than one Jumphawk rumbled before one seemingly settled on the ground and the loud rumble dampened to a humming whine.

Euphie's phone suddenly rang, its harsh sound making all of them jump and she answered.

“Code in,” she commanded, her voice decisive and firm. Lelouch noted with some pride at the stiffness of her posture, the Princess royal persona that she rarely showed coming to the forefront. The fact that she had also set her phone to speaker mode spoke of her kindness in reassuring them that they had nothing to fear.

“Serenity fields of sunflowers and monarch butterflies,” a gentle, but business-like feminine voice replied.

“Code blue five,” Euphie continued with the procedures.

“Six-alpha-two-four-niner-bravo,” the voice replied back. “KR-9 designation, Nonette Enneagram the Wolf of Britannia.”

“PR-3 acknowledges, Nine,” Euphie's voice softened from its commanding tone, “give us a few minutes to power down the shielding.”

“Acknowledge. Glad to hear you're safe, Princess,” the Knight of Nine replied.

She hung up, pocketing her cell as she stood up and turned to address them. “It's her,” she smiled wanly and bowed her head. “I'm so sorry for mixing you up in all of this. Please accept my apology-”

“Euphie, stop it. It couldn't be helped and we're just glad you're safe,” Milly shook her head. “Just go and make sure your sister's safe, all right? We'll be fine.”

Lelouch nodded as did Suzaku who squeezed Euphie's shoulder again in a gesture of comfort. She nodded and walked over to the keypad to disable the shielding. There was a brief buzzing sound before the soft hum that had enveloped the place since the previous night disappeared. She opened the door as Lelouch and Suzaku hefted their overnight bags and followed her out.

Euphie reached back to lock the door once more as Lelouch stared towards where a Jumphawk had landed on the nearby beach. A lone figure stood in between the Jumphawk and the bungalow.

The Knight of Nine was wearing her formal garb, a purple cape covering her pristine white uniform. Nonette Enneagram was in her late twenties, nearing thirty even though she looked a lot younger than her age. Her hair was a light green color, shorn to her ears with two long strands framing her oval face like little fangs that was indicative of her moniker on the battlefield. Her blue eyes were sharply looking at them, but Lelouch did not miss the slight darting of the area around them, nor the fact that Nonette had a hand on her hilt of her gunblade.

She was the only one of the Rounds to carry such a distinctive and unwieldy weapon. It was also the same weapon that Cornelia was known for, which made sense considering that she had mentored Cornelia during war academy.

“Little Peach!” The seriousness of the situation was broken by Nonette waving a hand with a cheerful smile on her face at them.

“Nonette,” Euphie greeted back, coloring slightly at the childhood nickname she got saddled with at a very young age. Lelouch coughed, suppressing the urge to snicker and got a side-eye from his half-sister.

She turned her sharp gaze to Milly and Shirley. “Don't start...especially you Milly.”

“Oh, wouldn't dream of it. Though not as embarrassing as Lulu here,” Milly's smile was very cat-like and Lelouch rolled his own eyes as the Knight approached.

The Knight of Nine bowed her head slightly, arm across her chest in a military manner instead of going down on one knee per protocol when protecting a royal. It was built off of the old adage that there was no need to identify the royal out on a battlefield when everyone dropped to their knees and Lelouch was glad that Nonette at least had the wherewithal to understand that even though things were safe for the moment, they were treating it quite seriously.

“Princess, I have news,” Nonette glanced at them before gesturing with a head for them to talk in private.

“They were involved,” Euphie shook her head.

“Very well, Your Highness,” the Knight of Nine nodded once. “Your sister is out of surgery and is doing well in recovery. The bullet that struck her did not hit any organs and the doctors are confident she will make a full recovery in a few weeks. Unfortunately, Knight Darlton died a couple of hours ago on the operating table. The bullet had passed through him before striking your sister. Knight Guilford was found early in the morning hours ago by investigators. He is currently being tended to by doctors for injuries sustained, but the OSI will be helming this investigation as to his disappearance from Cornelia's side.”

No one hid their shock at the news.

Guilford was Cornelia's drift partner and seemed practically inseparable even as her knight. For him to be found separate from Cornelia was almost unheard of and even under such suspicious circumstances. Even Euphie's frown was of worry and Lelouch knew his sister well enough that she would probably take personal charge of that part of the investigation even if she had to twist the arm of whatever OSI noble they put in charge.

“OSI is also currently reviewing security tapes of the group that tried to assault and kidnap you and your companions, Princess. I have been placed in charge of that particular investigation with my team, the Glinda Knights, as support and will be reporting my findings directly to you and to the Prime Minister. As such, I have been assigned as your Knight while the investigation proceeds.”

“Understood,” Euphie nodded once.

“The bomb found near Gipsy Danger's hanger bay has been disabled and handed over to PPDC authorities for investigation. Marshal Krieger has deemed security well enough for all personnel who were off-base to return and normal operations are resuming,” The Knight of Nine nodded at him, Suzaku, Shirley and Milly before straightening and facing Euphie again.

“Thank you for your report, Nine,” Euphie replied before turning to look at them. “Well...then...”

Shirley was the first one to say their goodbyes as she stepped forward and hugged Euphie tightly. Lelouch saw his sister whisper a few words followed by a gentle pat on the head before releasing her and Shirley stepped back, wiping at her eyes. Milly's hug was short and to the point, but she held Euphie's forearms, and stared at her with a serious expression that ended up with a small smile before she stepped away after a few words were exchanged.

Euphie turned to face them and Lelouch hid a smile behind his hand as he saw Suzaku and his sister both step towards each other at the same time, nearly knocking into one another before they took minute half-steps back so that they weren't as close. He didn't need to search across their bond much to know that Suzaku was worried for Euphie.

“...going to be all right?” he heard his partner's faint rumbles of concern.

“...be fine...you watch out for him, all right? I'm worried about him...”

“I will...call me if anything...”

“...Yeah...” Euphie had a small smile on her face. However, instead of hugging her like Milly and Shirley did, Suzaku instead, took one of Euphie's hands and politely kissed the back of it, making Euphie giggle a little and relaxing the worry across their bond.

“Aww...” he heard Milly echo and looked over to see her staring at the two of them with a hand cradled on her cheek.

Then it was Lelouch's turn as he stepped forward to say his goodbyes. He took one look at her cornflower blue eyes and saw her nod slightly.

“I know,” she said quietly. “It's similar to the one Odysseus and baby Heracles encountered as well as yours and Nunnally's. I'll have Nonette look into it from that angle to see if it is related or perhaps part of the same grouping.”

“Unsolved cases,” Lelouch was glad that his sister picked up on the fact that her attempted kidnapping was done in such a similar manner as the two other high-profile ones. Even though his own kidnapping years ago had been buried in the aftermath of his mother's assassination attempt, they had to clear all conditions before they could even consider another avenue of approach. The fact that a Knight of the Round had been assigned as Euphie's protector much like Sir Kavan Lorne in that particular juncture was not lost on Lelouch.

“Nonette started her service with the Rounds a couple of years before Sir Lorne's death,” Euphie said and Lelouch shook his head.

“Might be a dead end. I swore him to secrecy, even as we investigated, but he may still had notes I didn't know about,” he replied. “Worth a shot though.”

She nodded before sighing. “I know you're probably not going to follow my advice, but don't worry too much about this Lelouch. They didn't succeed. Cornelia survived. That's all that matters.” She reached over and hugged him tightly and he returned the embrace.

“Be careful,” he cautioned as he breathed in her hair. They smelled faintly of citrus and rose.

“I will,” she replied, her voice muffled against his shoulder. “I'll call or text when I can.”

He released her and watched as she turned and headed to the Knight of Nine's side before the two of them hurried to the Jumphawk. It took off into the air shortly, escorted by several others as they started the long trip to Anchorage. He did not know how long Euphie was going to be gone, as she was going to be the royal in charge of all angles of investigation and more than likely the one in charge of deciding the fate of those who attacked her sister if they were found.

He couldn't help but worry not only about Euphie's safety, but that there was something he was missing in all of this. Something key.


	31. WMD Arc - Part V

His head pounded to the beat of his heart and his mouth felt like he had swallowed dried cotton. Trevin kept his eyes closed as the sensation of nausea from the anti-toxins coursing through him made him want to puke. Instead, he forced himself to breathe slowly through his nose, letting the nausea pass after a few minutes. Whatever they had scratched on his skin to paralyze him, it was definitely not the box jellyfish venom that the royals carried upon them in their secret weapons. But it was still potent enough that he had been given an antidote, or anti-toxin – he couldn't tell – and made him want to throw up.

He could feel the wash of sympathy followed by the odd sensation of a mental pat of sad affection in his head from his brother and smiled inwardly. His message to Bruce was received even though he sent a wave of apology to his brother. He received a slight burst of anger before resignation poured over the bond followed by the flash of Amanda's face with a distinctively unimpressed expression on her face. She must have made it just now with wherever his twin was.

The brief image of the Shatterdome war room popped into his mind followed by a map of sorts. Trevin breathed out again, pushing away the bout of dizziness that coursed through him behind his closed eyes. That was the worse part, to feel dizzy even with his eyes closed. It made him want to do nothing more than to lie on the ground of the cold cell he was in and not think.

But he had to think. This was the trap sprung.

And now, his brother, Franks and others were relying on him to try to help pinpoint where the cultists' hideout was. He supposed he was probably in their headquarters. The fact that they had given him anti-toxin and kept him alive so far led him to conclude that he was a high-value target – after all, a popular Ranger would make a good symbol to whatever nefarious plans they had for the war – much like how they crucified and killed Marshal Ansley to make their first statement. He wouldn't be killed – not yet at least – until they got whatever they needed. Torture was probably in the cards, and Trevin would have to brace himself for that.

They wanted him alive for something.

He suddenly saw Amanda's face appear in front of his mind, her blue eyes staring at him, mouthing Bruce's name. He realized that his brother was feeling his despair and worry and reacting to it. Trevin immediately sent reassurances and felt the ghost of muscle twitches along his shoulders as he knew his brother was reacting physically to his attempts to soothe him over their bond.

The brief flare of anger was sharply punctuated by the image of a map and Trevin knew his brother was trying to get him to focus – to tell them where he was located. He sent a negative through the bond, grimacing against another bout of nausea. He still couldn't open his eyes without really feeling sick. There was a few minutes of silence before Trevin got the distinct feeling of something trying to pry apart his eyes even though he was squeezing his own shut. He realized someone was trying to examine Bruce as the hazy image of Dr. Alenko's youthful face appeared in his mind before just as disappearing just as fast.

Contrary to some of the more sensitive pairs of Rangers and their ghost Drifts, he and Bruce discovered the unusual fact that they could willingly activate the bond, strengthening the feelings and sensation between them as well as the formation of image and even the hazy thought if they were close to one another. It was amplified after combat, making it almost like true telepathy – a thing he once thought could only exist in science fiction movies – and something that had greatly intrigued Dr. Lightcap. However, both of them joked Caitlin could examine their brains once they were dead for any ESP or telepathic signals.

He didn't know what came of his brother's examination by Dr. Alenko, but it felt like a few minutes – or a few hours – his nausea and dizziness was still going strong that a good sense of time got away from him; that he almost missed the jangle of keys until he cracked open his eyes.

Concern flooded into his mind and he mentally shoved his brother to the side for the moment, focusing on the blurred image of booted feet that stepped into his cell. He blinked a couple of times, the blurriness slowly going away as he looked up from where he laid.

“He doesn't look so good,” the voice that spoke above him was silhouetted in his vision. A harsh accent colored the words, but they were in English.

“Must be having a reaction to the anti-toxin,” another replied. “Or they dosed him incorrectly.” There were sounds that Trevin couldn't make out before a half-curse was overheard. “Fuck, those fucking idiots didn't dose him correctly. How long has he been like this?”

“Guards say since it was administered.”

“Fuckers,” the voice cursed roughly. “And you call me now?! Where are they? I'll gut them myself.” There were more sounds and then booted feet stepped close to him. Trevin suddenly found his face forcibly gripped and the harsh acrid smell of breath wafted onto his nose, making him nearly gag. Bright brown eyes stared at him, a face that he somehow vaguely thought he knew from somewhere filled his vision when just as suddenly, he was released. He slumped back, trying to catch his own breath as a wave of dizziness assaulted him.

“Get him to the doc. He needs fluids,” the voice was disgusted. “And get me those idiots.”

The sound of booted feet on the concrete floor was heard walking away, but before anything else could be made out Trevin squinted as he saw two more pairs of feet approach. He was unceremoniously hauled up and though his first instinct was to fight the hands holding him, he also knew that he was still terribly sick and that the world was doing unpleasant swoops. He coughed, choking on the urge to throw up again and let himself hang limp as they dragged him out.

First things first was to get better and he had no doubt that whomever his captor was, they wanted him somewhat intact, or at least not poisoned. That boded well for him, he suppose. Not feeling the side effects of anti-toxin overdose would help him in trying to figure out where he was, but also for the possibility of escape. He could feel Bruce's encouragement, though his twin seemed to linger on the face of the man that had held him momentarily. Trevin tried to send feelings of reassurance and was warmed that Bruce at least also was trying to help puzzle out whom the man was.

He forced open eyes he did not realize he had closed and lifted his neck slightly to at least attempt to see where they were taking him, but all he saw were rocky enclosures with wires running through the area. Lines of pipes ran parallel with the wires. They were underground, he surmised, judging by the hanging lamps. He tried to breathe as best as he could, trying to focus his senses like he had been taught.

It smelled stale, wet. There was humidity here, but there was also a tinge of a bitter smell that he couldn't quite identify. It hovered in the air, as if daring him to identify it. However, he didn't get a chance to think on it much as he was hauled through a set of double doors.

“What is it now?” An annoyed voice spoke up and Trevin blinked owlishly and tried to focus. The voice, it sounded very familiar, yet-

“Sorry ma'am. Director and Chief insisted the prisoner be treated for overdose of the anti-toxin.”

“I specifically told those idiots _not_ to give that much,” the doctor sounded annoyed, but Trevin couldn't see past his captors, nor lift his head that much without sending waves of dizziness through him, to see whom she was. However, her voice, her tone, it all sounded horribly familiar to him. He did not want to name the feeling in him, but it was quite close to dread.

“Bed, over there,” the doctor ordered.

Trevin found himself being shuffled past several beds, some occupied, but most empty. The eerie thing was that the ward, infirmary, whatever he had been dragged into was quiet. Almost as if no one wanted to make a single sound. Not even the beeping of machines was heard. His world spun once more as he felt his captors drag him up and dump him unceremoniously onto the bed.

He was finally able to get a good look at his surroundings as he swallowed heavily and pushed past the dizziness again. It looked like one of the Shatterdome's infirmaries, with green privacy curtains drawn around. The walls, like the hallway, looked like they had been carved out of rocks, the ceiling with hanging lights that seemingly flickered. Electricity was a commodity here, he realized.

The two that had dragged him took a few steps away, their eyes tracking someone who was walking towards him. Trevin tried to see who was it that approached, but any movement he made now that he was lying down again made his stomach do very painfully empty flip-flops. He knew he had thrown up somewhere when he had blacked out to when he wakened. That much was certain and he suspected half of the dizziness and feelings of syncope was partially due to severe dehydration from throwing up or a reaction to the overdose of medication.

The voice tsked at the foot of his bed. “Leave us,” the doctor was definitely a female; there was no mistaking the distinctive higher-pitched voice she had.

“Ma'am-”

“I said leave,” her command was like whiplash and the dread that had been growing in Trevin spiked. He _definitely_ knew that voice. He heard shuffling of feet before the harsh ring of curtains being drawn around for privacy obscured his view of the rest of the infirmary. A loud sigh issued from the doctor's mouth after she was done. “Well, this is complicated...”

Footsteps moved from the foot of his bed towards the head and Trevin finally got his first good look at the doctor who worked with the cultists. She had auburn-red hair cropped short as was her customary style. A lone strand hung over her eye, giving her a fiercer look than what one would think a doctor would look like. Her eyes were just a hair off-center of symmetrical, but they were still the light grey he remembered. Her jawline was still as strong as ever, with a sharp pointed chin and high prominent cheekbones that many joked could cut someone.

Trevin blinked, wanting nothing more than to rub his eyes, or think that perhaps someone was pulling a prank on him, but she still stood there, a grim smile on her face. She was supposed to be dead. He heard her die on the comms, Bruce watched her bleed out, he _saw_ her bleed out through the Drift. It was one of their bad RABITs. The one they chased after four times before they got a hold of themselves and mastered the Drift.

And yet, she stood before him, seemingly hale and healthy. No sign of shrapnel that ripped through her chest. No blood splattered across her face and dripping down her lips as she whispered her last words. He swallowed heavily, the dread in him coalescing into a pit of despairing confusion and hollow pain.

Then, she spoke and he felt his heart break.

“It's been a while, Trevin...”

“Yeah...been a while, Igraine...”

* * *

The PPDC investigative team lead by Marshal Krieger concluded mere days after a bomb was found in Gipsy Danger's hanger, that the device – while quite real – was supposed to be a distraction in the kidnapping of the Princess royal. There were two factors that prevented its detonation: one Milly's impulsiveness in dragging Euphie and Shirley out for a girls night out after work was done on that day had drastically altered the kidnapper's plans. Two, Arthur, the team's cat had alerted Krieger himself of the explosive device. Krieger would not say how Arthur had alerted him, but no one missed the fact that since the time that Arthur had been let loose in the man's office to be a mouser that the Marshal was quite taken with the cat and allowed him free reign all over the Shatterdome.

Everyone chalked it up to one of the Marshal's eccentricities and Lelouch was reminded again that perhaps there was a reason why Schneizel liked Krieger. The former Knight was just plain odd.

Currently the cat was curled up in Suzaku's arms – thankfully not in a biting mood – as a ceremony to celebrate the cat's heroics was underway in the war room. Lelouch watched as a small collar with a small medallion for honorable services rendered was gently placed around the cat's neck by Krieger himself. Arthur yawned, flicking his ears before settling some more into Suzaku's arms, eyes closed as it dozed. Krieger said a few more words before the ceremony came to its end and the feeds started to wink out. The rest of the team leaders of Gipsy Danger and those of Hydra Corinthian started to file out, but Lelouch caught Krieger nodding at the two of them to stay and so they waited.

He watched as smiles appeared on the others' faces, some of them coming over to gently pet Arthur before they left. The cat seemed content with the attention he was getting, but didn't deign to move in Suzaku's arms. It was a little bit of silly humor dashed with a seriousness of the cat's actions, but it seemed everyone appreciated the levity in wake of the news regarding the Vincent Gloucester team.

Cornelia had woken briefly in the past week, though still intubated and clearly in a ghost Drift with Guilford as she had kept asking after him. On the days Euphie called, she sounded exhausted and wrung out, but kept him and Suzaku appraised of the situation. Her investigation was proceeding slowly as Guilford showed signs of lapses in his memory.

There was speculation that having him potentially Drift with Cornelia to force a RABIT of events. However, there was danger with that scenario as investigators needed to confirm if Guilford was guilty of dereliction of duty. Dr. Lightcap was pulled from the Academy to help attend to the situation and possibly come up with a solution to the current problem.

From the kidnapping, Euphie said that the Knight of Nine and her personal team, the Glinda Knights, were still chasing a few leads. There was talk that they had picked up the trail of one of Euphie's attackers and confirmation of the identity was verified by Milly and Shirley. Euphie said Nonette hoped to have the person in custody within a day or two as the woman had fled towards the east after the failed attempt.

Otherwise, there was nothing else Lelouch or Suzaku could do, which made Lelouch's mood sour some more since they returned to the Shatterdome.

He felt listless.

The data for his planning scenario involving Hydra Corinthian, Vulcan Specter and the Breach was still forthcoming from Marshal Kennedy, but it was more than likely to be delayed as she dealt with the Vincent Gloucester situation. Dr. Saiki had called on Suzaku's birthday – quite early in the morning – but Suzaku's gentle probing of his friend's state of mind produced nothing of merit.

The Gages had not called for a while now, more than likely busy with whatever Marshal Franks had them doing at Lima and the cultists. On a whim, he had called Trevin the other day and it went straight to voicemail. News of the cultists amounted to the same, they were still investigating, but there were signs that Area 2 would be able to advance to the next level of autonomy soon considering the local warlords that had set themselves up were pretty much dead.

He knew a part of him should enjoy the fact that none of the problems happening involved him and Suzaku directly; and he did take some pleasure in it. He just did not like feeling so idly useless. He wanted to help Euphie, but it was clear that it was a royal matter and he himself had decisively shut the door on that particular avenue. Schneizel, who was more than likely helming the investigation through the OSI, would not appreciate him butting in. The saving grace was Euphie keeping them informed for the most part.

The bomb that was planted in Gipsy's hanger bay was a PPDC matter and under a Marshal's command, so Krieger had conducted his own investigations and the results had been forwarded to the Board. He, Suzaku and Ohgi had conducted a cursory walkthrough to make sure nothing was potentially damaged or altered on Gipsy Danger and found nothing of the ordinary.

Lelouch was slowly reviewing the OS with Ohgi to make sure there wasn't any other sabotage, but even he doubted that whomever planted the bomb would be able to access the OS for Gipsy Danger so easily as the device had just been a distraction to kidnap Euphie.

Hydra Corinthian rarely needed guidance on their simulations and training from Gipsy Danger, having gone mostly independent since Yamarashi. LaRue and Lanphier were getting along well and scuttlebutt from Milly and the others said that Lanphier was considering a proposal to LaRue. Considering it had only been nearly six months since the two officially came out as a couple, it would be quick by Britannian standards, but Lelouch was not surprised. Duc and Kaori had married a two weeks after they graduated as Rangers so there was some precedent.

Tohdoh and Nagisa had called the day after Suzaku's birthday with apologies, but it had turned into a brief four-person chat as they caught up with each other. It seemed Nagisa decided to reduce her hours to a part-time status and Tohdoh was preparing to transition to a more advisory role, or a second-in-command, in preparation for General Katase to take over Nagasaki's running. The two did not seem to mind it and Tohdoh said it was a good thing as he and Nagisa would be able to focus more on mentoring the new pilot pairs in their Shatterdome. Nagasaki would be the only Shatterdome in operation to have completely brand new pilot pairs, even though Tacit Ronin was an old Jaeger and not considered technically 'new.'

Suzaku had mused on the Onibaba Museum and the docents updating all of the signage, which in turn Tohdoh had grumbled and scoffed about inaccuracies and cherry picking facts about the museum, to Nagisa merely rolling her eyes and telling her partner to stop 'being so pissy' about it. It amused Lelouch to no end that Nagisa sounded so different whenever interacting with Tohdoh, but he could tell Suzaku was quite happy that he had gotten the two he considered family to smile and think of other things.

“Ranger Lamperouge, can you stay?” Krieger's question pulled him out of his thoughts as the others left the conference room.

“Sir,” he nodded and glanced over to Suzaku who shrugged and proceeded to carry the sleepy Arthur out. He was still surrounded by others who wanted to pet the cat. Lelouch was pretty sure he would be able to find his partner later by just following the legions of admirers.

As the last of the people left, Krieger gestured for Lelouch to follow and the two of them headed out, turning the opposite way most of the personnel were going towards. It was after a few minutes of walking and taking the elevators that he realized they were going to the Marshal's office. Lelouch was intrigued; it could have been easier if Krieger just asked him to wait for him outside his office while he finished up, but that was not the case.

A quick discreet glance over to the Marshal confirmed Lelouch's suspicions that Krieger was more than likely evaluating him, judging by the pensive set expression on the Marshal's face. He hadn't done anything wrong in recent memory, filed proper reports like Suzaku, Milly and Shirley about Euphie and what they knew about her whole kidnapping attempt – his and Suzaku's day off and his partner's birthday celebration was only mentioned in one line and in the context of how they ran into Euphie.

They entered Krieger's office and the Marshal took a seat behind his desk while Lelouch stood at ease in front of him. The man's office was styled to his personality. It was not cluttered with experiments and scribbles like Marshal Kennedy's, but there was an organized chaos about it. The oddity of it was that there was a free-standing closet like the ones in the rooms in the Shatterdomes for personnel and Lelouch suspected it was where the Marshal stored his uniforms – and probably found the mouse nest that necessitated Arthur's skills as a mouser. A beautiful set of two swords and the shield that bore the crest of the Knight of Nine. One of the swords was quite ornate while the other was more simplistic. Both looked well-oiled and he suspected were actual usable weapons.

On another wall, a series of pictures, each framed nicely and bunched together to create an artful collage, showed Krieger in some, a few others he didn't recognize in others. There were pictures of his mother when she was a Knight and at least one of a happily smiling Sir Kavan Lorne. He almost did not recognize the Scythe of Britannia, having never seen such an expression on the man's face the years that he knew him.

Lorne's arm was slung over a much younger Krieger's shoulder, his grin goofy and very care-free. However, while his body seemed to be facing the camera as was the toast of whatever giant glass of beer he was holding, his gaze was definitely directed off-camera at something Lelouch could not see. Krieger himself seemed quite resigned to whatever antics that had been perpetuated by Lorne before the shot was taken, even as his eyes were on Lorne.

Lelouch found his feet taking him towards the pictures as he studied them. One picture showed Marianne with her sword drawn, staring at an opponent off camera. His mother looked quite handsome in her Knight's uniform, the pristine white cut of the half-jacket with golden cuffs and epaulettes on her shoulders. Unlike the current uniformed design of the Rounds, the vest underneath the half-jacket was a royal purple – Charles zi Britannia's personal color. The other Knights had colors that corresponded with the current configuration of cape colors, but Lelouch supposed as the Knight of One, and probably as the Emperor's Consort, she was allowed to wear his colors.

Oddly, he saw there were no pictures of the Emperor, considering Krieger used to be Charles zi Britannia's personal knight. Another thing he noticed was that most of the pictures of Krieger were in his Rounds uniform and those of the Euro-Britannian Dukes.

“The Emperor's ascension is best left in memories instead of in photographs,” Krieger suddenly said and Lelouch turned, warming slightly in embarrassment at having been caught out staring at the collage of pictures.

“Sir,” he moved away from the pictures, clearing his throat sheepishly.

Krieger snorted. “You are not the first one to have been drawn towards the pictures, Ranger. Though like your sister, it seemed the two of you picked up on the lack of pictures that preceded the formation of the Emperor's Knights of the Round.”

Lelouch cleared his throat and nodded. He knew a little about Charles zi Britannia's ascension – all Britannians did – but it was mostly glossed over and Lelouch's mother rarely talked about it. The lack of photos of her and even of the Rounds in Aires Villa had never really bothered him until now. Aires Villa had grand paintings and full-length murals on their walls of ancient battles and legends. Personal pictures of friends and colleagues never did bother Lelouch and he never wondered why his mother never had ones of the Rounds she served with.

“I've asked you here for a delicate matter,” Krieger started. “Your cooperation is voluntary, and I cannot stress that enough. What I can tell you it that it is related to Princess Euphemia's kidnapping attempt. This information may also benefit another situation that we are dealing with.”

Lelouch had a feeling what Krieger was going to ask. He had known it would crop up as soon as he gave Euphie the information to tell the Knight of Nine. But how the information benefited another situation Kriger was dealing with was a mystery – one he wanted to ask, but he knew better than to pry at this juncture. “My own kidnapping,” he stated carefully.

“Yes,” Krieger stared at him.

“What can I tell that the official report submitted by Sir Lorne has not said?”

Krieger's expression did not change, but Lelouch suspected the man could tell he was omitting something by the minute darkening of his eyes. “That report was classified for the Emperor's eyes only unfortunately.”

Lelouch did not know that particular tidbit. He knew Lorne submitted a report, the knight having told him point blank, but did not tell him who would be reading it. Judging by Krieger's words, it was safe to assume that the man had still been serving as the Knight of Seven or had some involvement with the Rounds as an associate all those years ago. He did not remember when Krieger had resigned from his post.

“It was a trying time, sir,” he replied.

Krieger's eyes lost some of the dark quality as he nodded. “And why this is strictly voluntary.” He leaned forward on his desk and rested his hands on top of the desk, lacing his fingers together. “Dr. Lightcap would like to run a test on you. It would be like Drifting, except just yourself and you'd be voluntarily chasing a RABIT.”

“They don't trust Guilford, do they? And they're running out of time to chase the lead for whom Cornelia's assassin may be and what might have happened...” Lelouch asked, arching an eyebrow.

To his credit, Krieger merely nodded without comment. Lelouch found it oddly refreshing that he did not feel the need to defend or comment about why he knew about the investigation. It could have been easily said that even if he was not part of the royal family, Cornelia was still a sibling, and Euphie by extension, would keep family members informed.

“There was also similarity to the attempt to kidnap Euphie like mine. OSI and the Knight of Nine want to know how similar,” he continued. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why just me? Why not initiate a full Drift in the simulations?”

“Partially because the instinct of a Ranger is to turn away from the RABIT and the more veteran ones are prone to ignoring it all together.,” Krieger grimaced. “It's the training that works against us for something like this. The other reason is that your partner would automatically try to turn you away because it _is_ a RABIT. The odds of also accidentally running down into the partner's RABIT is greater.”

“What are the drawbacks?”

Krieger tilted his head to the side. “There is a greater chance of getting lost in the RABIT without someone to pull you out like you would when Drifting since it's just you and your mind. However, the doctor has been working on some cognitive therapy techniques to try to mitigate some of that. We would also have Ranger Kururugi on standby to initiate a full Drift with you to pull you out too. However, that particular technique and method has not been tested, so it would be highly experimental if you do end up losing yourself in a RABIT.”

“If this does happen, it would just all be in my head. How would you extract the information?”

“From what I gather and from what Dr. Lightcap has told me, when prospective candidates were Drifting testing with partners, they would try to focus on the doctor's voice. It would be something similar. Like a deeper version of hypnotherapy, I suppose. Dr. Lightcap or one of the OSI members, would ask you direct questions while you are in this state. You would be lucid enough to answer, but probably also live in the memory at the same time.”

Lelouch was quiet as he carefully considered his options. “Who in the OSI?” he asked.

“I don't have that answer,” Krieger replied.

“If I'm doing this, I'd prefer not to have OSI involved even if they are asking the questions.” Lelouch was not comfortable with the fact of the OSI learning about the kidnapping, partially because they would also learn about the Knight of Two being an oathbreaker. It wasn't for Lorne's reputation – a dead man's reputation was for historians to dissect into the days of yore – it was to protect himself from any possible reprisals or insinuations – that he was able to persuade a Knight of the Round to renounce his oath. There was a dangerous power in that and if the OSI got wind that a (ex) Prince of Britannia was able to do it, they would put him under surveillance for the rest of his life even if he was not part of the royal family. Oathbreaking, especially towards and for the Emperor's Knights, was serious.

Krieger nodded slowly as he seemed lost in thought for a moment. After a few minutes, he suddenly gestured with a chin towards the collage of frames and photos on the wall. He seemed focused on the one where Lorne was laughing at something off-camera and Krieger himself looking quite resigned. “My last conversation with Two happened a few days before Trespasser made landfall. The topic of our conversation was, oddly enough, my resignation from the Rounds. It was a conversation we've had many times previous since my resignation.

“I asked Two what he was thinking and he asked if there was any Knight that decided their current master they served was not worthy. Innocuous enough, but...” Krieger shrugged. “I told him that our Emperor is the greatest and highest honor anyone could serve. To consider otherwise, must be carefully tended to. Resignation from service could be tendered if one finds a different purpose in their life, but oaths will last a lifetime and to break one, especially from no higher honor, well, that is what they call oathbreakers and traitors no matter the excuse.”

The corner of Krieger's lips twitched. “An oath is a curious thing, as ultimately, if it is in the service of the original purpose, then technically, it would not be broken. There are traditionalists who interpret oaths in the literal sense, then those who take a more...liberal approach if you will.”

He turned back and looked straight at Lelouch. “If you were to consent to this, Ranger, would you allow me to ask those questions instead of the OSI?”

Two realizations struck Lelouch at once and if it was not for the fact that he had long experience in keeping his composure and never showing his hand until it was the right moment, he knew he would have probably stared in shock. The first realization – that Krieger _knew_ about Lorne's oathbreaking and still kept it a secret. It did not take much for him to infer that Krieger more than likely knew about the Gages and how _close_ they were to becoming oathbreakers – and were probably in communication with Lelouch to give him bits and pieces of information he wouldn't have been privy to.

The second realization was hot on the heels of the first one – Krieger was implying that he, himself, was an oathbreaker. That he had forsworn the Emperor and indirectly served another liege lord – with a creative twist on the fact that he was still serving his original oath because whomever he served was in the best interests of the Emperor.

The logical new liege lord for Krieger was laughably easy for Lelouch to deduce: Schneizel.

If what the Marshal was saying was true, it meant that Krieger had deliberately resigned from the Rounds with whatever excuse he gave in service to the Emperor to go to Euro-Britannia on Schneizel's interests. Yet he was able to spin it so that his posting was both a benefit to the Second Prince and the Emperor. And Schneizel was the only one who knew of the full ordeal Lelouch and Nunnally had experienced – besides Lorne.

He looked at Krieger whose gaze was incredibly steady.

“Dr. Lightcap, yourself and Suzaku. No one else.” Lelouch knew the doctor would not say anything, partially due to the fact that she was so familiar with the technology and with testing all Ranger candidates that she probably heard so many secrets a million times over. Second, she was a fellow Ranger and understood the intimacies of Drifting or sharing secrets with others.

“No one else,” Krieger nodded once as he unlaced his fingers. “Thank you, Ranger. This would help the investigations greatly. Dr. Lightcap will be here tomorrow. I'll clear both of your schedules for the next couple of days. We do not expect it to take more than half a day tomorrow, but considering it is experimental, the doctor will want to do an examination afterwards.”

Lelouch nodded, sensing that he was being dismissed. However, one lingering question remained and he looked at the Marshal. “Sir, can I ask a question?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“Why did you suggest the Rounds, sir, before my audience with the Emperor?”

Krieger smiled faintly and snorted quietly. “Contrary to my previous service, I am not versed in Court politics, Ranger, so please consider my answer as close to the truth as possible. Sentiment was the driving factor. I saw a lot of your mother in you, Ranger. I was not the one to suggest she petition for the Rounds, no that was the Emperor's own choice and request when Marianne appeared. But perhaps I saw too much of your mother and wanted a similar measure for you.”

Krieger's faint smile grew a little wider. “Alas, ignore the ramblings of an old and retired Knight. I saw what I wanted to see, not what was in front of me. Two always did berate me for that, even at his young age.” He shook his head again. “Do not take this the wrong way, Ranger, but you are more like your father than mother. I thought I saw more of your mother, but now I know better.”

Lelouch merely nodded, resisting the urge to tell the Marshal that he was _nothing_ like the man who had abandoned him and Nunnally. That he was not so cold and callous to his own children and friends and who didn't seem to care for anyone or anything. That he did not deserve the loyalty of the Rounds that served him, nor did he deserve whatever fealty he had. That Charles zi Britannia deserved the pain Lelouch lived with for so many years; abandoned and left to fend for himself and his sister when their mother was first so injured and then killed.

“Sir,” he said instead as he straightened and saluted. It was returned and Lelouch left the Marshal's office. As soon as the door slid close behind him, he curled a hand into a fist, squeezing it tightly as he tried to tamp down on his anger. He was _nothing_ like the Emperor; nothing like the man who had sired him contrary to what Krieger or the Gages thought.

* * *

“Feel better?”

“Starting to...” Trevin replied as he absently tugged on the strap that held his arms and legs down to the bed. “Though, really?”

A thin red eyebrow lifted up over glass-grey eyes and stared at him. “You're a prisoner here, Trevin. No bones or illusions about that.”

“Yeah, but the straps? I mean, it's not like I'm going to escape any time soon. Medication's just kicked in and I'm pretty sure you've got armed guards outside this infirmary or whatever. Hell, I don't even know where I am.”

“Yes and there are sharp pointy objects here that you could use to aid your escape.” He watched as the woman he once had asked to marry him, whom he had shared his bed with time and time again, moved to check the bag of saline solution that she had set up for him. Some additional liquid medication had been inserted into the same line to stop the dizziness and nausea of the anti-toxins he had been overdosed with.

The world had stopped spinning just recently and Trevin was starting to feel a little better, his thoughts more coherent. He could still feel the echoing shock roiling through him as the bond he shared with Bruce magnified it. He only got brief glimpses of what looked like Lima's infirmary and surmised that his brother had been moved there to combat the more difficult parts of their ghost Drift.

They both were still reeling from the shock of learning that Igraine Malisse was still alive and had not died on that terrible day that Bruce's unit had been ambushed. Trevin was still leery, studying the red-haired woman carefully as she had set everything up. His instincts as an intelligence officer had overcome his initial shock and he was trying to see if it was truly Igraine or a woman who looked eerily like her.

All signs currently pointed that it was really Igraine and not someone's sick idea of a doppelganger.

“You also liked being strapped down, last time I checked,” Igraine's eyes slid towards him before looking back at the saline bag. She flicked a finger on it to make sure it was a steady drip.

“Well, you've got me here, why not take advantage,” Trevin replied lightly and saw her snort faintly. She wasn't exactly wrong. When they shared a bed, it was one of the things they enjoyed together.

“As much as I think the Director and others probably will get a kick out of it, you're definitely treating this whole prisoner thing too lightly, Trev,” she warned, but she reached out and traced a finger down the side of his face. To his own surprise, he felt himself leaning a little into the touch before he drew back, blinking his eyes. Damn, he was definitely getting a little too careless and carefree. Her words were definitely convincing him that she was the Igraine Malisse he loved and lost.

“See?” She rolled her eyes as she noticed his flinch.

“So you played dead for all those years?” Trevin asked, not even disguising the fact that he was trying to change the subject. He really needed to get laid if Igraine could do something like that to him after all this time. Bruce was still reeling in shock from their bond, something that echoed and rebounded back against him. He caught a glimpse of Amanda's concerned blue eyes. His brother probably had told, or perhaps blurted out that Igraine was alive.

“Pretty much,” she seemed satisfied that the saline bag was doing its work. She took a step back and eyed him with a sigh. “You got sent in here trying to spring a trap that isn't going to work Trev. I'm betting this is your Marshal's idea and not one of Krieger's...”

“Franks. Marshal Beatrice Franks,” Trevin said. He was surprised at how freely Igraine was stating things. She was always frank and blunt, not prone to mincing words except when she was trying to extract information from a source.

“Ah, bull in a china shop approach then,” Igraine shook her head. “Expected from the former Knight of Three.” She looked at him. “Not so great for you, Knight of Two.”

“Care to explain?” Trevin figured if she was speaking so freely, he might as well.

“Well, for starters, we knew you were basically bait dangled out. Juan Carlos and Miguel had orders to keep an eye on which Shatterdome personnel approached them. They didn't think a Ranger would actually approach them, but I knew better. Told them that you'd probably be the likely person. Sorry Trev, you lost this even before it began.”

“So what are you going to do? You and this Director I keep hearing about?” Trevin refused to let the discomfort show on his face.

Igraine's lips quirked up the corner of her lips. “And you'll only hear us call him the Director. Yes, it's a 'he' and no, you're not getting that information from me. As for what we're going to do? Well, you're a prisoner here, that much is certain. Thankfully you're not going to puke all over yourself anymore. You're lucky that it wasn't the actual venom used on you and just a mild version designed to knock you out.”

“That's a weapon of a royal used on me,” Trevin stated, staring steadily at her.

“Yes it was,” she replied equally steady. “Get comfortable Trev. You're going to be here for a while. You won't be tortured, we're not making the same mistake like we did unleashing the mob on Ansley, but you're not going anywhere either.”

“I'm going to escape,” he blinked once and she laughed.

“I'd be remiss if you didn't try, my love-”

This time he did visibly flinch if only to get away from her touch. He turned back to stare at her as she sighed and drew her hand back, a slight smile on her face. She nodded as if she was having a silent conversation with herself or came to some conclusion that only she was privy to.

“It's kind of easy to figure Franks' approach to this. You were sent in, deliberately captured because the cultists would not pass up the opportunity to capture a Ranger; whether to disable the Ranger from launching in their Jaegers once the next kaiju attacked or otherwise, you're a high-value target. Two, she thought she could exploit our location by using you on the inside with your Drift connection with Bruce. Three, of all the Ranger pairs in Lima Shatterdome, you're the only one who's had a modicum of intelligence training. Granted, counterintelligence, but intelligence training so you know ways to get out, get information, all sorts of things.”

Igraine leaned forward. “Good plan, utilizing something that not many would expect, except, well, I happen to be here and happened to see her plan once she sent you to the local watering hole. It's not subtle, nor is there an elegance to it like one of Krieger's plans. So you've just pretty much been offered up as bait and we took it and now she'll be none the wiser.”

“Bruce-”

Igraine made a shushing noise, lifting a finger to place over his lips. Trevin moved his face away from it, finally letting his disgust and anger show on his face, never mind the feeling of betrayal he was getting from Bruce as his twin slowly got over his shock of Igraine being alive.

“Bruce isn't going to know where you are, Trev. We're keeping you here or in your cell once you're better. You're not going to be taken anywhere else for Bruce to get a good impression through the bond the two of you had gotten while Drifting.”

Trevin closed his eyes for a moment, trying to breathe through the feelings of dread, anger and fury. It was a heady combination as he worked through his feelings. “Seems you've thoroughly thought this through.” It did not help that the feelings were rebounding on Bruce who was feeling mostly angry. He could imagine his twin about ready to jump into the Lionel and tear through the whole of Lima trying to find him. Sending a soothing thought was not exactly Trevin's style, but he had the faint impression of a hand on an arm, Amanda more than likely trying to talk his twin down from doing anything rash.

“Pretty much,” Igraine replied. “Sorry Trev. You're not winning this one.”

Trevin nodded slowly and opened his eyes again. He looked at his former lover. “Can I ask why? Why you're here? Why you're with them, these cultists?”

“Trying to convince me to turn? Go over to the other side?”

“Aren't you doing that with me?” he asked.

She laughed lightly, and brushed back her short red bangs away from her face. “It's second nature for people like you and me to do that. Ask why, make our own conclusions, judgment, prying, that sort of thing. You're good, Trev, but-”

“-Not good enough like you,” he finished for her.

She shrugged. “Sorry.”

“Igraine,” Trevin swallowed heavily as he realized it was the first time he had said her name since realizing she was here. It also served as the acknowledgment and resignation that this was truly Igraine.

Her lips quirked up in a small wistful smile in acknowledgment of her name. He forced himself to keep his gaze steady instead of tearing it away from her, wanting nothing more than to wallow in the despair that was rising in him.

“Igraine,” he said again, this time more quietly. “Why?”

She took a step forward and reached out, cupping a hand to his cheek. He didn't flinch or move away and instead, let her hand sit there, the cool feeling of her skin against his own. He could feel the slight crookedness of her index finger, when she had sprained it by landing wrong that one time they decided to spar with each other. They hadn't known it had been sprained until after the spar among other activities engaged in afterwards.

“There is too much suffering and lies in this world, Trev,” she brushed a thumb near his lips. “The kaiju are a singular truth without any lies surrounding them. They want our death, simple as that. No hidden agendas. It's refreshing to think of when you look at it from that angle. No suffering, just plain and simple truth – they want us dead.”

Trevin frowned. “There's suffering when they attack-”

“That's because the PPDC, the Rangers fight back. If there wasn't any fighting back, if Jaegers weren't built, then nature would take its course and the suffering would not happen. It is only because you and your fellow Rangers fight back to cause more destruction and devastation than necessary. Kaiju blue doesn't have to exist if the kaiju weren't killed and their blood spilled. Buildings, earthquakes, fires and disease won't have to happen. Rationing, doesn't have to happen. Even yourself, you don't have to suffer from Drifting if you didn't have to pilot a Jaeger with Bruce.”

She brushed her thumb slowly over his lips, pressing gently in between, but Trevin held fast, shutting the very intimate gesture out by clamping his teeth together. He gave her a dark look and she merely smiled before she retracted her thumb. “Think on it, Trev. Hasn't there been enough suffering and lies in this world? The kaiju are our end and our saviors. All you have to do, is let go.”

Igraine lifted her hand from his cheek, patting it once before she moved away. The harsh ring of the curtains being fully drawn around his bed grated on Trevin's ears as he heard her move away. Her footsteps echoed on the concrete floors before the sound of a door opening and closing was heard.

A silence descended upon the room and Trevin finally allowed himself to relax, letting the feelings that he had been keeping at bay flood into him. He bit back the sob that threatened to escape him, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. When he finally felt like he had some control over himself, he closed his eyes, sinking into his mind where he could feel the presence of his twin more strongly than ever before.

It was time to analyze.


End file.
